Opposites Attract
by Singkatsu
Summary: Sometimes in this world, the most unexpected things can happen, good and bad, but what about when it comes to opposites, is it as the saying goes, do opposites attract? MariaRay Story.
1. Chapter 1

Opposites attract 

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harvest Moon characters, I just write fanfics on them…

It's another regular day at the library; people come in on occasion, most of the men who come in head toward the political or hardware sections of the library, while women head toward the romance or magazine sections. The fantasy section however remains untouched. This puzzles me. Aren't people interested in the legends of times gone by? Of Hero's and princess' and dragons? Of Lovers…It saddens me sometimes, I remember a time when, as a little girl, me and the other girls in town used to come to the library and read those books. It hurts me because now those books just sit there, collecting dust until the end of time…or whenever this library will close. Now THAT'S a sad thought.

I had always loved the library you see, the serene calm, the nice quiet atmosphere, the smell of old paper and of course the books. That was the reason I got the job at the library in the first place, it was pretty easy to get to, what with my father being the mayor and no one actually wanting the position. Week after week I stay here, reading mostly. It's probably because of me that those fantasy books haven't fallen apart yet.

It may seem childish at first I must admit but I actually enjoy reading fantasy books more then anything. It interesting to hear of long adventures, daring warriors, conniving villains and daring heroes.

I sigh as I read the ending of "Thumbelina." It was probably one of my most favourite fantasy stories, the journey exciting and long, with a sort of exotic feel to it. The heroine courageous and the hero charming. How I wish I was like that, courageous and daring. I lift my head and look out the window. How I also wish I had someone to call my prince charming.

My eyes suddenly land on someone by the river…its him, Ray. I remember Ray from when we were kids. He was always calm and serious at school, a god student, getting good grades and trying to compete with the other students who had high grades. Outside of class though he was really athletic and loud. Always boasting about his talents and trying to compete with the other boys. It actually surprised me that in the end he chose to be a fisherman. In my opinion he could have had any job he wanted, he could have moved to a busy city on the coast and gotten a job as a marine biologist for goodness sake! Yet he didn't….that always puzzled me.

Ray looks like a ruffian now, with his long messy brown hair tied up in a ponytail. Instead of wearing proper clothing, all he wears is a blue tunic and blue tights. Day in and day out he sits by the river waiting for a catch. His eyes are blank, almost icy. He hates to be disturbed, why just the other day I remember seeing Dan play a joke on Ray by pushing him into the water, as soon as Ray had surfaced he gave Dan an Icy cold glare and yelled at him for bothering him while fishing. At times he's really competitive always wanting to be the best. He's sometimes goes for days upon end outside never coming in to sleep. He's a ruffian, rugged and wild, while I'm a lady, kind, shy and timid.

We're total opposites yet why am I…why am I so attracted to him?

Is it the way he worries about people when there hurt or when there sick and how he stops by to check on them? Is it because at times he has this soft side, this kind and caring side and he helps those in need? Is it because he's secretly smart but never shows it? Is it his smile so soft and warm that I just want to hug him? Is it his sheer determination in doing something? Is it his ruggedness? Is it the way he acts towards me and only me when I talk to him? Is it his interest in books?

My head spins with all the questions going through it. My cheeks grow warm as he looks up and appears to be staring at me. Is he? Is he looking for me? Why is it that when I think of Ray he seems perfect, in my minds eye I only seeing him smile. Why is it that when I look at his lips all I want to do is kiss them?

I know I'm attracted, no that's not even the right word for it I must be obsessed. When I think of my prince charming I can only think of him. When I think of who I want to spend the rest of my life with I only want to be with him.

But how can that be…do opposites really attract?


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: And so I continue the one shot which I thought I would never thought I would look upon again. I didn't think anyone wanted me to continue it, but with some persuasion from my friend Kuneko I decided too. So I hope you all enjoy the second installment of Opposites attract!

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I growl and grip the handle of my fishing rod tightly as another fish manages to get past me. Gah! Why can't I concentrate! I never have this much trouble usually, I just spread some bait around, sit and then wait for a fish to come. And usually I catch one easily, but today…today is different for some reason.

I look around quickly making sure no one is in the area before placing my fishing rod in the sand beside me and lying down on my back, I don't anyone to think I'm slacking off of course, can't show any weakness. I'm supposed to be the best fishermen in the village, actually I'm THE fishermen in the village, so I can't let people see that this is getting to me, that I've caught no fish and it's frustrating me beyond belief. Why can't I concentrate!?!

I groan and shift onto my right side, looking past the small bushes and tree's to look at the library. Its really a very nice building, mostly made of marble and stone, it was made for the mayors daughter, Maria, shortly after she moved back here from College.

She was one of the few quiet people in school, besides maybe Ellen and Blue, though Ellen could hold her own and Blue was just anti social really. She always had her nose in a book, reading about some fairytale or another. Maria was real intelligent though, answering most of the questions in class, doing the best projects, writing complicated essays. No wonder she went to college after we finished High school. A lot of people did actually, but most of them only for the first four years, while Maria…well she stayed for longer.

She's too smart, she knows everything. She was always trying to give me advice, show me a different way to do something; trying to convince me or give me some sort of strategy. I hated it when people do that, I'm not stupid.

I sigh and go and turn to lie flat on my back once more. I'm a man of the sea, I'm expected to rough it out on my own, do things on my own, and I don't need other people's advice.

Then why is it that every time she gives me advice I follow it?

My folks lived by way of the sea and fishing and so will I, I've learned the ways of the ocean and the rivers, I know how to catch fish. Sometimes it's slow, yeah but I manage. My father always had one rule, never back down from a challenge, and when given the chance, put forth the challenge. Be the hunter or the hunted as he liked to say it. And that's how I live mostly.

Most people know me as a competitive person, always challenging others to a fight or some kind of competition, always striving to win and do anything I need to do it. Most of the guys welcome the competition and like going against me too. As for the girls, well some find it appealing while others annoying. I don't care much what they think though, or what anyone thinks, I live by my own standards, not theirs.

You care what she thinks though.

My eyes, which had drooped, close some minutes before, snapped back open again at the thought. I don't care what she thinks….do I? I turn my head towards the Library again, thinking not of the actual building but of the blue haired girl inside. Maria, at first I didn't really like her, as I said before she was always giving me advice and I hated that. She was also really prude, wasn't much for the parties the others had either. Sometimes she even acted know-it-allish. She was really something different. She strove for peace and quiet, calm and intelligence. I just want to have fun and enjoy life, maybe even causing problems along the way. We're almost complete opposites me and her. We would never work.

But why do I want to at least try to have something with her?

Maybe it's because she's so prude and shy and likes to be by herself. Maybe I want to make her life interesting, I don't know. I can't really care for her though; we're just too different, I mean a strong and independent guy like me with a know-it-all, prude, shy, bookworm like her! As if!

I close my eyes again, happy with my response, except the inside of my eyelids offer no black void on this day, instead they are filled with images of her and my heart skips a beat.

Maybe, just maybe I do like her? Maybe I can actually see myself with her, she's the type of person who can tie me down, the person who can keep me connected to this place, make me want to come back from wherever I go.

I sit and grab my fishing rod, stretching out the kinks in my back and trying to get a feel for the movement of the ocean as I wait for a fish once again. I shake my head trying to get rid of my thoughts; they remain though, bringing up images in my mind that make my face flush. Then one question rises to the surface, making all the others seem to fade away

How could people so different, so opposite from one another be able to fall in love?


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Alright well, I've been considering it for awhile and I've decided to make this story a multi-chapter. So yes, Opposites Attract will be continuing on for quite sometime! I know I don't have many reviewers (Though I do thank those that reviewed! I appreciate your comments and criticisms!) But I just can't seem to stop writing this story, I know it isn't very good, so I beg future readers to bear with me, but I promise I will try my best! And this story will continue, not for very long mind you, but hopefully enough to satisfy myself and my readers with the ending. I may even put a few other couples in, though who I have yet to decide. Anyways though, I hope everyone enjoys Chapter 3 and the chapters to come!

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The smell of good wine and food filled the warm air of the bar. Most of the villagers were there, celebrating its opening at the party arranged by Eve and Carl who had just begun working there several days before. Most of the people in the room were either sitting at the bar getting drinks and talking amongst themselves or sitting at tables with their group of friends.

The sun had set sometime before, giving the room, dimly lit by the lights, with a small amount of moonlight coming in from the many windows, an ethereal glow. Most of the people whom were talking at the bar were red faced and were either laughing hysterically or giggling. They spoke mostly of work or things going on in their life, most of them consisted of shopkeepers and the older villagers who had spent most of their lives in the village. The ones at the tables mostly gossiped or held drinking contests and consisted of the younger generation of Flowerbud village. This was a more toned down version of the party, though the air still tingled with the smell of alcohol and sweat as the dancing had been stopped quite sometime before, leaving the others to do as they pleased.

Ray sat at the end of a table with Dan, Joe, Kurt and Blue. Mostly Dan and Joe were talking about the other girls in town, with comments from Kurt every once in awhile as he disagreed with one of their remarks. Blue just sat there, hands around a glass of wine, taking in the rest of the conversation. He hadn't changed much from High school, still quiet and somewhat anti-social, though he had begun to open up to some of the villagers he still pretty much spent most of his time alone. Ray on the other hand, had the conversation very far from his mind; he was staring at the table across from theirs, where some of the girls sat, one among them being a certain blue haired librarian.

"She's pretty clingy, but she can be ferocious when she wants her way. When she does do it, it can only be defined as sexy." Dan smirked as he took a sip of his wine. "That girl is something else…"

"Yeah I heard Gwen can be like that, as well as Eve too, but then again it's expected of those two. Katie on the other hand…" he took a bite of his pizza and a sip of his drink before continuing. "She's cute, sweet AND sexy. She can get a guy drooling by just smiling at them, now SHE'S something else…"

"Sounds almost as if you like her Joe…" Kurt smirked, obviously amused at the dreamy expression on his brothers face.

"Didn't I tell you not to get to close? If you do then they start laying the big stuff on ya and all the fun is gone after that. You know what I mean? You have to keep them at arms length, not too near and not too far, can't have them thinking your insensitive either…" replied Dan, who was giving Joe a hard look.

"That must have been one of the most hypocritical and maybe even chauvinistic comment I've ever heard from you Dan." A Female voice broke into the conversation and all the men turned, save Ray, towards a tall blond with alluring red eyes.

"Ah, sweet Eve! You know I, a man of so many talents, am not one to lie about such things. You know how relationships go…"

A smack resounded through the bar, grabbing quite a few of the people's attention, as Eve slapped Dan hard on the cheek, before continuing to the others girls table and giving them more drinks.

The sound had caused Maria, who had been talking with Ellen and Katie about cakes and interesting things they had all seen in the city, to turn her attention towards the table not to far away from them, which she had been desperately trying to avoid. All the guys at the table were staring at Dan, who was now sporting a bright red mark on his left cheek which he was rubbing gentle. After a few minutes of staring with bewildered looks on their faces, the other four boys at the table burst out laughing, a particularly rugged, deep voice was heard above the others bringing a slight smile to her lips. Unbeknownst to her, Ellen, Katie and now Ann had started a conversation again, now revolving around the group across from them.

"You know Ellen, your cousin is really handsome, if only he would lighten up a bit and maybe remove that hat, he would have a lot more girls after him." Katie nudged Ann softly, as if trying to say that she was the one who would be after him.

"Blue is nice but I mean, come on, what about Joe? He's cute, spunky, and always likes to have a good time. I'm sure he'd be a lot more fun," responded Ann rather quickly trying to turn the tables on Katie.

"I think Kurt is better then Joe actually, a lot quieter, calmer and more serious. There's more to him then meets the eye, and it makes you…it makes you….it makes you want more…" Ellen sighed as she stared at Kurt across the table, her fork lazily moving around in the salad in front of her. "And then there's Dan…"

"Oh don't even get me started on him! He's just…he's just so, so, infuriating! Have you seen the way he treats women! It's almost as if they're toys that he plays with for a little while before going on to the next."

"Is he really that bad?" questioned Ann looking over to Katie. "Maybe there's more to him then meets the eye? He can be helpful sometimes."

"I guess…highly doubt it, he probably has much dimension as Ray, considering we all know how HE can be."

As soon as his name was mentioned Maria's attention immediately snapped back to her friends. Before she could stop herself she had responded.

"Ray, have as little dimension as Dan? I beg your pardon but I think Ray has a lot more too him, than Dan! I'm sure he focuses on a lot of other things."

I'm defending him…why in the name of the Harvest Goddess am I defending him. Wasn't it me who used to say when we were little that he was rather one dimensional? Oh Goddess what is wrong with me!

The girls around her all gave her the same surprised stare. All seemed to be struggling with their words, trying to place the sudden and odd outburst that had come from their friend, who was usually quiet and very firm with her beliefs. Recovering slightly, Ellen spoke first.

"But Maria, wasn't it you who always said when we were in school, that Ray was rather simple and never seemed to follow the right path? You always thought he was competitive.'

"Well…" Maria looked at the glass in front of her, not daring to raise her eyes. "But recently my views have changed slightly, and I never said that I didn't think him competitive, but one dimensional…no…"

"Your views have changed recently?" Katie had a bright grin on her face a she looked between her three friends. "Is that bookworm slang for 'I have a crush on him'?"

Gwen, bored with the conversation that was currently going on at the bar, had been making her way over to the group of girls near the far end of the bar. She had just caught the last bit of the conversation (with much ear straining) when she walked up to them and like the other girls looked over to Maria.

"A crush? Well this is something new especially for you Maria. Don't worry though, whoever it is we'll help ya get him." She winked before taking a seat, as Maria's cheeks reddened slightly as she began to protest. "But before we continue who is the sly guy who managed to capture Maria's heart?"

"Ray," Ann continued upon seeing the startled look on Gwen's face. "Yeah we were surprised too. He would probably be good for Maria, though."

Gwen simply nodded as Maria finally found her voice. She stared at all of them sternly; her cheeks still a bright red shade.

"I-I do not! I've just been thinking about certain things recently and I believe I misjudged him! Nothing more, nothing less!"

"Thinking about certain things hmmmmm? If you really don't care Maria, then why be so flustered? Are you sureeee there isn't something you're not telling us?" said Katie in an almost taunting manner.

Not knowing what to say and becoming more flustered by the minute, Maria quickly stood and walked briskly to the door before yanking it open and shutting it behind her. The action had gone unnoticed by most, for it wasn't very loud, but Ray, who's attention had finally reverted back to Maria noticed the action and got up, curious as to why she had left so suddenly. Simply waving goodbye to the others guys he also headed out the door.

The guys barely noticed he was gone, for they were much to intrigued by Dan's latest story, not to mention had, had so much to drink that they were beginning to forget about their surroundings. The girls on the other hand, gazed at Ray as he left, before turning to one another and bursting into a fit of giggles. It seems Maria wasn't the only one who was interested…

Maria continued her walk down the street, willing herself to not turn the corner to her house but instead walk across the bridge towards the woods, only stopping once she had found a tall tree by the river to sit under.

"That Katie and Gwen…why don't they know when to drop a subject! I never asked for this, I'm not even sure I care about him; these feelings are so spontaneous, I have no idea how they came up either, I knew him in school but I never felt like this…I don't even know him that well…"

She heard the sound of grass crunching, as if underneath someone's feet not too far away from her, turning she saw the person who was causing the problem. Ray cautiously walked towards her and sat down.

"Hey…"

"Hi…"

An awkward silence fell between the two, both fidgeting and trying to think of something to say.

"I saw you earlier storming out of the bar…and….well…when no one came after you I was kind of worried and…I came to see if you were ok…"

Maria smiled at him in return, in either thanks for coming after her or talking he wasn't sure.

"You don't need to worry about me, it's just something they said that embarrassed me a bit…I was going to leave soon anyways, I'm not one for such functions anyways…"

"Why not?"

The question took her off guard. Why wasn't she one for such functions? Did she find them un-amusing or a waste of time? She had never really liked them even when she was younger…perhaps because she had often been brought to them by her father against her will?

"I'm not sure, maybe it's because they are always the same or I always went to such things when I was younger, I honestly don't know. I was never really a fan of them."

"Yeah, I guess after awhile they're all the same, always have the same thing or idea to them, I can kind of understand that. I just go because I want a good time, I never really look into it that much."

"I always did envy you all for that."

Curious and slightly confused as to why she would envy someone like him, he just stared at her, waiting for her to continue. Quickly looking at him, to see if he was going to say something she turned back towards the water, her knee's up to her chest. Noticing her discomfort he barely croaked out his question, only to mentally kick himself later knowing that they should be trying to get away from the topic.

"Why? Why would you envy us?"

Maria tensed, she didn't really want to continue the subject and she had thought she had made it quite obvious that she had, then again she had never been good when it came to body language…there really was no backing out of it now though, if she tried to leave he would most likely block her path or keep her here until he got an answer.

"Well…you know…everyone else is always so carefree, fun loving and….and…" she murmured the next part so softly. "And because you can let things go."

"We're not always so carefree." He said rubbing the back of his head, somewhat embarrassed. "We all want things, put pressure on ourselves, not to mention judge others and ourselves a bit too much. We just try to live in the moment you know? Have fun once in awhile."

"How is it that you live in the moment?"

"Uh…well…we…" Ray struggled for an answer, he never was one for philosophy and psychology but he could at least try to explain it to her. "We just kind of let things go like you said, we don't think about the past, future or even present, we just have fun, its how we get away from the pressures of the world, and it keeps us sane."

"You let go by partying, doing stunts and having fun with one another…that…is something I find difficult, which is why it amazes me that some could do it with such ease."

"It's not that difficult, 'go with the flow' kind of thing, you get used to it after awhile." He looked over to her noticing her somewhat bothered expression as she looked out at the river, and instead chose his words more carefully. "Well, each person lets go differently…we don't all like partying…some do other things…"

Maria turned to him, her eyes curious almost as if asking him what he meant. She nodded a few times to emphasize what she was trying to saw, before becoming completely stile and waiting for him to continue.

"Like…um…well I find fishing helps me let go, just the sound of the water and the focus I need keeps my mind away from other things, and everything else seems to wash away. Same thing for Joe. For Kurt it's his work, woodworking and carpentry help him relax I guess." He stopped and trying to think of something else to say to her. "The things we do best…or our hobbies help us let go too, is what I'm trying to say…"

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips, as she began to relax, her legs stretching out towards the water with her arms by her side.

"Would….reading be a way of letting go then?" she asked quietly and with a somewhat innocent air. "I always forget about everything around me when I'm reading, almost as if I've been drawn into the universe that the book takes place in…would that be similar?"

"Yeah." He said as he turned and grinned at her. "That's exactly what I'm talking about, you just let everything go, you don't analyze, you don't strain yourself, you just become absorbed with what you're doing."

"Hm…" she closed her eyes momentarily, as if the thought itself was materializing in her minds eye. Then she stood, wearily stretching her legs before turning towards him. "Thank you…"

"Hey, no problem, anything to help." He shrugged his shoulders playfully, still grinning at her.

Maria walked towards him, placing a small hand on his shoulder as she continued.

"No, I really do mean it, thank you. I have always thought myself…different for how I acted in some situations; this has helped a great deal with that." Lifted her hand from his shoulder, she straightened once more. "It's very late though, and I guess I must be going…Goodnight."

With a simple nod and grin in her direction as her only response, Maria began on her way once again, quickly fading in with the dark surroundings about her. Ray continued to sit by the river, thinking about the previous conversation and how this was one of the few, if not the very first time, he hadn't put on a tough guy act around her and had let his feelings shine through so as to help her. As the wind picked up and small ripples began to appear across the waters surface, Ray gently whispered to the wind, not even caring that there was no one to hear him.

"Goodnight…Maria…"


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Yay for another chapter! Sorry it took as long, I've just been very busy lately. Anyways in this chapter I make a reference to my friend and fellow author, Kuneko's story, Harvest High, so I would suggest you go and read it! It's a lot better then mine in my opinion and quite interesting, so you should go! Don't even second guess yourself, just go read it! Anyways…so yes on with the story.

Maria sighed, staring out the window out into the evening sky, the sun was just setting and soon it would begin. She had spent much more time then necessary in the library today. It had been quiet once again, the only thing exciting being the story in front of her, which told of a girl who was trying to search for her family.

She closed the book gingerly and replaced it on the shelf. She wasn't really looking forward to this evening, a few weeks had passed since that night by the river and it was nearing the time when she would have to see him again. She hadn't seen him much the past few weeks; every time they would see each other they would either pass by one another and remain silent or would turn onto another path to avoid one another.

"Well not avoid per se…" she thought, straightening the books on the shelf. "We just don't see each other, that's all, considering our professions it isn't that weird really…he often spends his time by the river or ocean fishing, while I am often here standing among the books."

Today would be the fireworks festival, it wasn't really a romantic festival, just one where the village got together and celebrated the wonderful weather, but still everyone always seemed to bring a date…which would mean that he would probably be going with someone…

She felt a slight pang in her chest, one that was familiar yet unfamiliar. Maria's hand gripped the shelf, as if trying to anchor her thoughts and drive the images from her head.

"So what if he went with someone else?" Her logical mind answered, scoffing at her pain. "He has every right to. You know human's biological tendencies, whatever is efficient, technically love is a chemical imbalance in the br-"

"You should ask him, get to him before it's too late, there still might be a chance. You care for him, so do something, ask him, talk to him, anything! He should be there with you!" her heart said, trying to get her to come out with it. "Stop beating around the bush!"

The internal battle continued to rage within her, as she strode towards the window and peered outside once more, the sky was beginning to darken, which meant the festival would start soon…everyone would be assembled by the beach, with food, snacks and their dates or groups before the main event started. Sweeping her eyes over the area once more, Maria stood staring at the shadows cast by the bookshelves in the library.

"You know how you feel, you can't deny it, do as he said, go with the flow, let yourself free…let him guide you…"

"He'll hold you back! He'll bring you down, he'll ruin your chances and you know he will! You never wanted to stay here forever! He won't you follow your dreams."

"Love conquers all!"

"With Knowledge brings change!"

Her fist clenched, her teeth grinding against one another, as she willed the fight to stop, as her frustration rose, she settled down in the chair by the counter, putting her head in her heads and gripping her hair until the pounding in her head went away.

Her head remained in her hands a moment, the quiet of the library overcoming her and calming her slightly, it was a silent, though sometimes lonely, but at the moment was welcomed by the blue haired girl. A few minutes later, a soft knock was heard on the door, before it slowly creaked open and Theodore wobbled in.

"Maria, you know we can't be late, it will really look bad on our part, and the waffles will get cold!" Theodore said in a scolding matter as he walked in, paying more attention to the watch on his wrist then the things around him, when he did look up however and saw the distraught look on his daughters face, he immediately softened. He had always been rather busy when she was younger, so she was often taken care of by her mother, but he had always tried to spend sometime with her at least. He smiled to himself…ah yes; the days when Maria was a little girl and Theresa was still alive...he walked over to Maria and placed a hand under her chin, tilting her head upwards. "Maria, what's wrong?"

Maria stared at her father, a weak smile on her lips, trying to convince him that she was alright. He didn't need to know about something like this, it wasn't that important after all. He would most likely make a big deal out of it and worry about her unnecessarily; she didn't need to put him through that.

"Nothing father, just thinking of a few things…"

"Are you sure? You have been more quiet then usual lately…you know if you need to talk or need help with something I'm here. I may not be your mother but…I can still help." Theodore removed his hand, opting to cup her cheek lightly before backing up a bit.

"I know…please don't worry, I just have a lot of things on my mind that have been weighing down on me recently." Taking that as her cue she stood, moving around the counter and beside her father.

"Well if you're sure then alright, but you don't have to come tonight, you could stay home and rest and I could come up with some story or another."

"No, it is one of my favorite festivals after all and it's something we rarely get to see anyways. Don't worry about me…" she bent down slightly to kiss cheek. "I'll be fine Daddy..."

With a simple quiet nod from Theodore, they both headed out the door and towards the festival, leaving a quiet and orange tinted library behind them.

Ray leaned against the stone wall, his hands behind his head as he scanned his surroundings. Everything was in place and soon the last of the people would be arriving at the beach and the fireworks would begin. Most of the people had arrived already, all standing together in their little groups or with their dates. The reason he was standing alone was because of the lack of date really, all of his friends had asked a girl to watch the fireworks with them and had gone off on their own, and Ray with his girl skills hadn't even gotten the courage to ask anyone to come with him.

"It doesn't matter really, the one person who you would maybe want to go with, wouldn't for the love of goddess be seen with you."

. Ok, well he knew that was true, it didn't matter much though, he was alone and he couldn't do anything about it, she had probably asked someone and even if she hadn't she would probably spend the rest of the time with her friends. He scanned the ground looking for the group of girls who usually hung around together. After finding Katie standing beside Ann and Ellen by the other side of the beach, along with their dates in tow, he came to the conclusion that they were obviously not going to spend much time together tonight, or well at least not during the actual fireworks.

Growing tired of the things around him, his head turned toward the sky above, only the bare edges were actually focused on the things around him. He leaned back into his arms and stared at the clouds overhead, only breaking out of his reverie when something red and blue appeared in the corner of his eye. He turned towards it only to see Maria standing (quite alone, he added to himself) beside the podium where Theodore stood, his arms outstretched and beaconing for silence.

"Friends, new and old, I welcome you once again to this years Fireworks festival, as usual we come here each year to celebrate the beautiful summer weather and appreciate the things this season has to bring. The Fireworks will begin shortly, however until then I encourage you to buy some drinks from our refreshment table and try to mingle amongst different groups, also…"

Theodore's voice seemed to fade away in the background as he once again repeated his usual annual fireworks speech, always the same, starting off with how the summer should be appreciated and ending with what appeared to be an advertisement. Ray's eyes scanned the crowd who had now begun to shuffle into their own respective groups waiting for Theodore to finish his speech. A few mingled by the podium where he stood, though his eyes quickly shifted to one in particular. She was standing right beside her father, and seemed to be speaking with Liz, which seemed to annoy Theodore as he looked over at her.

"None of the guys are standing near her…and I saw her enter alone, so maybe she didn't bring anyone as a date?" he thought to himself, his eyes trained on the blue haired girl who was giggling lightly at something Liz had said. "He could be meeting up with her here though, ugh what do I care! It's not as if I have a claim on her or anything…'

He turned way from her, trying to clear his thoughts; instead he focused his attention on his friends, who seemed to be sitting with the girls almost opposite him, they were all smiling at one another, Joe and Katie seemed to be having an animated conversation while the others were laughing as they watched. Blue and Gwen sat right beside them, Gwen seemed to be cooing over Kurt and Ellen who had both turn a light shade of pink and were laughing nervously, as Blue just smirked and chuckled at the situation they were in. His eyes shifted to the other side of the group where Dan and Ann sat. Both were laughing their heads off at the conversation that was going on between Katie and Joe. It really was a weird group, they were all pretty different and had barely anything in common but they all seemed to get along. As he looked back over them, he noticed Kurt slowly put his arm around Ellen and sent a look her way, a look that held an emotion he had become all to familiar with the past few weeks.

"Images assaulted his mind, pictures that he had seen often over the past few weeks and had shoved to the back of his mind, time and time again, only in vain as they reappeared. It was only a phase, he told himself, just an innocent crush that would pass. Sure it felt like love now, and he didn't want to see her with anyone but it probably was nothing that big. It would fade away with time; she couldn't feel that way about him anyway…" Ray thought to himself.

'A prim, proper educated girl like her with a ruffian like me…' he scoffed to himself, taunting his inner emotions. 'As if!'

"They were so different from one another, it would ridiculous if they got together, they would have absolutely nothing in common and the relationship would hardly last a few days. Not to mention she was the Mayors daughter, she would probably rather be caught dead then dating me…"

"You're just making excuses,' he thought, moving a hand down his face as if that would stop his thoughts. 'You know you want to be with her and that maybe this crush is developing into something more…"

He looked back over to her, the images once again entering his mind, this time however he let them carry him away, until he could no longer see what was in front of him, he no longer noticed his surroundings and his mind was focused completely on the images.

"Could you please get rid of that Lovey-Dovey face? I know your infatuated but please it's a bit too much." A voice said off to his side, bringing his attention back to his surroundings.

He turned towards the voice, only to see a girl several inches shorter then him, with jet black hair and deep green eyes. She stared at him with a placid and rather bored expression on her face.

"That's better, a lot less scary and obsessive. You know you should really go tell her…"

"Wait…whaaaaa, I'm sorry but why, who…who are you!?"

"…I'm Dia, I moved in with the Sanatorium awhile ago, and here I thought word traveled quickly in this town." She scoffed, glancing at the crowd of people who were still waiting for Theodore to finish his speech. "I guess not every village is like the one I come from."

"I'm not into the whole gossip thing so that's why I don't hear about a lot of stuff and I haven't seen any new buildings so…yeah."

"Hmph, well you know my name now, and nothing else matters, I'm just saying you have to tell her though." The abrupt change of topic made him slightly uncomfortable, as he stared at the girl in front of him; she had the weirdest air about her and she acted very mysterious.

"Who says I like her?" She rolled her eyes at that, then raised her arm and pointing to Maria as if to emphasize her next point.

"Well for one you were staring at her as if she was the last girl in existence, two you spaced off for a good amount of time there and I don't even want to know what you were thinking…" she breathed in, and lowered her arm and turned to face him. "And it was in the cards."

Ray raised an eyebrow at her and just stared. The cards? What cards?! Was she one of those weird fortune telling freaks that had crystal balls and made predictions using tea?

"Um…cards?"

"Yeah, you know fortune telling cards and Tarot, the cards that let you see into the future and determine the things to come?"

He continued to stare at her disbelievingly, eye brow still raised as he made the connection. As recognition dawned of what she was talking about in his mind, he reeled at the idea that someone could tell that he loved Maria simply by looking at some hocus pocus magic cards.

As Dia opened her mouth as if to speak, she began coughing violently. Bending over, trying to catch her breath, she was barely able to croak out the words, 'Tell her" before she quickly hurried off into the crowd, her coughs growing fainter and fainter until they ceased, leaving only the faint murmur of talking and Theodore's continuous drawl.

"And finally I wish to thank The International House of Waffles and Mr. Waffles, Hm you make good waffles." Clearing his throat, he continued, the crowds attention finally back on him as he concluded his speech. "Now then, the fireworks will begin shortly; stay together or leave with a group once you head home, and enjoy the festival!"

With Theodore walking off the podium, the small group still assembled to listen had dispersed and intermingled with other groups and the light murmuring that had been heard before had turned into a large drone, almost all consuming. Maria soon headed over to her friends, sitting beside them and quickly becoming involved in the current conversation, while Ray instead looked out to sea, watching the sun slowly go below the horizon.

Soon the sky became dark and the groups dispersed somewhat, couples sitting closer to the waves as they cuddled and waited for the fireworks to begin. Stars littered the sky and the sound of the night insects soon set in.

Maria was soon left alone, her friends had slowly began to break apart from the group and head towards the water with the rest of the couples, it was at this point that she scanned the rest of the beach, trying to find him. Seeing him not to far from her, leaning against a stone wall, she stood and, though she was unsure of what she was doing, began to walk towards him.

She soon walked over and sat down beside him, quickly noticing that his face had changed from one in deep thought to one of thorough embarrassment. She looked around quickly trying to find the source of the problem when she noticed her father, standing with some of the older villagers, with a disbelieving and furious look on his face as he saw his daughter standing with Ray.

"Don't worry about him Ray; he always acts like that when I'm around boys…" she said as she looked back at him. "I suppose he still thinks of me as a child."

"Maybe." He shrugged as he turned and looked out towards the ocean. "He's your dad after all."

"Well yes, but he needn't worry about me so much, I can manage myself. "

"Maybe he just doesn't want to let you go so soon, he sees your managing well on your own and he's afraid you'll leave him."

A stifling silence fell over them as Maria looked at him in wonder before turning back to her father. Perhaps he was right, she had been distancing herself from her father as of late, actually today had been the first time in awhile that her father had actually told her about something that she was unfamiliar with, it was one of the rare times her father had comforted her and had a serious talk with her since her mother had died.

Ray looked over at her, expecting a reaction, yet all he received in return was a somewhat thoughtful expression as she looked down at the sand and drew her knees up to her chest. Cursing at himself mentally for possibly hurting her and worried by the fact that she was being quiet he placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to grab her attention.

"You know though, Maria…" he said slowly, cautiously, making sure not to scare her or bother her more then it appeared she was. "You could depend on him more I'm sure h-"

"I'm afraid to depend on him." She interrupted him as she replied in a low voice. "I can't depend on him as I used to."

"Wait….what? Why not?"

"If I depend on him again…I won't be myself anymore for I will most likely be how my father wants me to be and I won't be able to pursue any of my current dreams that way…"

"That's funny, my father used to say something similar to that." he chuckled to himself, as Maria lifted her head off her knees and turned to him, a questioning look on her face. His chuckles soon died down and he scratched the back of his neck lightly in thought before he continued. "Well, before my parents went out to sea and took up fishing there, my dad and I used to fish on the island off the pier there."

Her eyes followed his finger as he pointed off in the distance, before she made a small nod in acknowledgement of his story and to urge him to continue, he looked back out to sea then, his eyes glazing over as he recalled the moment from long ago in his past.

"It was about mid-summer, and it had been a pretty inactive day, as far as fishing is concerned. It was about lunch time and we were about to stop and go eat with Mom when my line started to shake. I was still a beginner when it came to fishing, so when I found out that I had a really big fish on my line and I couldn't pull it out, I just handed my rod over to my Dad. It took awhile, a good 10 minutes at least to get the fish out, and I had started cheering once it came out of the water. My Dad didn't cheer, laugh or smile or anything, he just turned to me and told me to sit down beside him. "Ray took a breath, staying silent for a moment as if to recollect his thoughts. "And then he said to me, 'Ray if you want to become a good fishermen, or ever succeed with whatever you want to do, you can't depend too much on people, if you do, then you'll end up doing what they want and you won't be able to accomplish anything on your own…"

Maria looked at him expectantly, wanting now to hear the end of the story; she knew there was a bit more to it then that. Ray's father, she remembered him as being quite intelligent oddly considering his career, he viewed the world in a different way then most and had a very interesting philosophy, which had always amazed her when she was younger, and she knew that whatever he had to say would be helpful.

"He never hesitated, my Dad, to say what he felt, and he was very open too, especially with me and my Mom, so it didn't surprise me when he said, 'You know just now, when you handed me the rod I could have easily just put it down and let the fish get away, I didn't have to actually catch it. A fishermen never backs down from a challenge he faces it head on even if he knows he's going to lose, so don't forget that.' he then switched topic out of no where, I have no idea why." he shrugged and swallowed before he continued and spoke the last part of his tale. "I guess he was known for that, oh well, anyway then he said to me, 'But don't forget son, even though you can't depend too much on people, don't forget that you still have to depend on someone, like your friends or on the girl you love, if you don't you'll become too stubborn and tend to annoy everyone. We need balance, and dependence is apart of it…and Blah, Blah, Blah, you can basically get the rest of it."

She nodded in return, smiling weakly at him in thanks, her thoughts however we're jumbled together, amazed and somewhat confused to hear the boy give such advice and give a bit of himself to her as she had to him. Her mind went back to the night outside the bar and to how then too he had helped her; perhaps someday she could return the favor.

"So what your saying, is that I should perhaps show my Father I care and trust him by depending on him and opening up to him more?"

"Yup, now you got the idea!" he smiled brightly at her, moving his hand and scratching the back of his neck once again.

Before Maria was able to reply, Theodore's voice was once again heard throughout the beach, announcing the beginning of the fireworks and telling everyone to have a wonderful evening, spurring everyone into conversation once more. Soon, great lights filled the sky, and the beach became quiet, as people watched. A particular group of friends were barely watching, as their eyes darted to the couple sitting off to the side, their arms and legs brushing against each other, as they smiled together and watched the fireworks.

The fireworks in and of themselves started off very simply, a few random bursts of fire, lighting the sky in light patterns, blue, red, and green, along with white and purple. However as the night progressed, they became more complex, several of them going up at a time to form constellations and shapes, such as circles with lines through them (That suspiciously looked like waffles) and animals. There were also ones that fired in succession lighting the sky and making ones eyes move back in forth between them as they sparkled. Interestingly enough, also as the night progressed, Maria and Ray's thoughts also became more complex, considering the thing that had been said that night and other things that had been said many nights before.

The deafening sounds continued overheard, up until the point where it went unnoticed, and when one of the final sets of fireworks flew up into the sky, creating a diamond shape with several random sparkles around it, it went unnoticed by Ray when Maria put her head on his shoulder, and to Maria when Ray scooted a bit closer to her. For their thoughts weren't on the fireworks in front of them but on things that seemed to be very far away from them, well as far away as barely a few inches can be.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Hello everyone, yes I know there's been quite a delay in the past few chapters, and for that I apologize, hopefully now that I'm on March break I'll be able to write a little bit more, the thing is I need inspiration, and for this couple its very difficult considering there is so little fiction or hinting towards it.

Anyways, I wanted to thank everyone for their wonderful reviews! They're one of the few things that spur me to continue and they're very uplifting as well. So I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: I just thought I'd do this again considering I hadn't in awhile. I don't own Maria, Ray or any of the Harvest Moon characters, nor do I own Yu-Gi-Oh…and before you ask what I'm talking about just read, and no, it's not going to be a crossover so don't worry…

Summer was nearing its end, quite quickly like every year it seemed. The local farmers had begun to harvest their crops and start planting the ones for the next season, the restaurants and cafes were readying themselves for the start of another cold season, for everyone knew, that because the summer was so warm, winter would come back twice as cold.

The weather was beginning to prove them right, as it steadily became colder near the end of the season and people started to don light jackets to block out the cold. Yet, despite the weather, the work continued, with perhaps a few more visits to the Perch inn to buy something warm to eat. As summer came to a close, everyone took it in stride, all prepared for the next and colder half of the year, or well at least as prepared as they would be. Fishermen usually weren't very fond of winter, what with the small amount of fish to catch and very few areas's to catch fish in, but autumn, though its predecessor, was considered very prosperous, for it was when all the very expensive fish such as lobster or salmon swam into streams and rivers to find extra food to eat before going out to the ocean for the winter.

It was around summer 27th when things really began to calm down for Ray, most of the summer fish had already begun the migration and the little fish he was catching were of little value. He spent most of his days on the island, listening to the ebb and flow of the waves, the splashing against the rocks and the sound of the wind.

It was the 29th now; just one day remained before the busy season would start. Ray hadn't caught any fish that morning, and instead of spending most of his day on the island, had opted instead for the mine, trying his best to find roots to give to Alex for extra money.

"Ugh, I know I smell rain, but there's not a cloud in the sky, so how is that possible?" Ray questioned as he looked up at the cloudless sky as it looked down upon him. "I can't be imagining it, even if I do know the rain is going to come with autumn…"

He walked past the Perch Inn his face skyward as he looked for any sign of clouds or something to indicate rain, a light breeze was blowing, heavy enough to move the leaves slightly and stop the insistent heat, but light enough not to push ones clothes or hair in the direction it was blowing. Finally giving up with his relentless search of the noon sky, his head turned once more to the road, as he crossed over the bridge and saw the small barren fenced area in front of him. He would have continued on his way, not noticing anything out of the ordinary, if something brown hadn't caught the corner of his eye. So instead he turned, heading towards the library, that had several large boxes in front of it, which he presumed were to prepare for the fall season as well. Nearing the first box he saw a mass of blue sticking out of the top of a box with a body attached to it, and smiled to himself as he snuck up beside it and spoke.

"Preparing for the new season too huh Maria?" he chuckled to himself as the blue mass lifted suddenly revealing a startled face as Maria jumped away from the box and turned to him.

"R-Ray! You startled me, I didn't even hear you walk up beside me." She breathed out in relief and turned back to the box taking out a book. "Yes, I was just moving fall books in…it is always good to have a little variety after all."

"Meh, I guess so, I wasn't never really one for books but I can relate in other ways." He looked at the many boxes around him. "Hey do you need any help? It could take a day or so to go through all these boxes on your own."

She moved her hands back into the box thinking of his offer, she knew he didn't like libraries very much; she could remember when they were in school, he had always tended to avoid the library and tried to stay away from there as much as possible. Why would he offer then? Could it possibly be that he just wanted to spend time with her? As she grabbed a stack of books and pulled them out of the box she stopped, he couldn't like me that way could he? She shook her head and turned back to him. Of course not…he's just being nice and offering to help, he could never feel the same.

He had noticed her moving rather slowly as if in deep thought and as she turned to him he felt something vaguely familiar. It reminded him of something he had seen long ago, something he would never seem to forget…a breeze picked up at the moment and the swinging of his ponytail brought his attention back to the present, where Maria was nodding in agreement and hurriedly walking inside to get away from the cold, carrying several books with her. He then walked over towards the box that Maria had been rummaging through, stuck his hands inside and pulled out several books, the one at the top reading, "Poetry Anthology, 1000 expressions" and walked inside. Though the weather outside was becoming cooler, the library seemed stuffier then ever and he quickly found himself panting for air as he dropped the books on the counter.

"Please tell me you decided to order less books for the Library…I'm not too sure I can manage shifting from Hot to cold over 20 times from trips in and out of this library…" he said with a light smirk on his face as he turned to her. "This place is unnaturally stuffy…even if its summer!"

"We don't have that much to do…at least with two people I believe we can finish it rather quickly, there are only about 117 books in the boxes outside." She looked out the door, inspecting and boxes and mentally counting the books inside. "Yes…about 117, so it shouldn't take that long…"

When only silence greeted her, she looked over to the young fisherman only to see his eyes wide in bewilderment and his mouth open staring at her.

"Um…why exactly are you looking at me like that?"

"ONLY 117, how in the name of the Goddess did you manage to carry in all those books by yourself when you first opened?!"

"Well it took me two or three days to get them all inside, though that's because I was trying to decide how to arrange them, but if I had just brought them in I'm sure it would have only taken me about one day…" she said rather calmly as she began to sort through the books. "With you here to help me it shouldn't take more then two or three hours though…you don't have to help if you don't want to waste the rest of the day."

"Nah I'm not wasting it, I'm just amazed you did it all by yourself is all." Ray put his hands behind his head and smiled sheepishly. "It's a lot for anyone to do and it would get kind of get boring after awhile."

"I have to admit it did take awhile, but it certainly wasn't boring." Straying away from the now organized and neatly piled stacks of books; she stopped beside him and poked his arm playfully. "Now are you going to help me or not, we really need to start unpacking them or else we'll be here until after dusk and arranging books is very difficult in the dark."

"Right away then Ma'am!" he said jokingly before going out the door and grabbing a few more books.

The rest of the time went by much in the same way, with little conversation in between as the two brought stack after stack of books into the Library, by the time they had finished the sun had sufficiently gone down its pathway and the air had become even cooler. Closing the door behind her and holding two large textbooks to her chest, Maria smiled brightly to herself as a sense of relief flooded her because the hardest stage had been completed. Looking around the library and its currently empty shelf's, her eyes fell on Ray, who was sitting by the window looking very bored as he sat on the Librarian's stool.

"You know Ray, you could always read while you wait, it's a wonderful way to pass the time and you can always learn something new."

He jumped; surprised by her speaking suddenly and that he hadn't heard her come in.

"Hmm Maybe but I was never really into it you know. It caused a lot of problems when we were in school." He slid from his stool and walked over to her. "I guess I was more into athletics then my studies, it bothered my folks a lot, especially my Dad…"

"Hm…well not everyone is into reading, people have different interests, it's what makes us unique, as what the Goddess' intended." Maria crossed her arms and looked down in thought as Ray stood beside her with a somewhat eager look on his face, as if wondering what she would say next. "Why would your father dislike that you went into athletics? He was a fisherman himself and you took over his profession later on in life…"

Ray shrugged before picking up a stack of books and walking over to one of the empty shelves leaving Maria standing by the counter, in the same position she had been before, except instead waiting for his answer. Sweat began to gather on his palms, and they certainly weren't from the stuffy state of the library. He really did not want to get into this discussion now, or ever for that matter, with anyone, especially not Maria; it had brought many problems in the past, one of which he still had to deal with.

"Guess he didn't want me going down the same road as he did, maybe he wanted me to get a better job, I don't know. He really wanted me to go to University though, and obviously in that area I was a disappointment…" he stopped, deciding instead to change the subject to something that would pertain to what they were doing. "Uh…Maria…where exactly do you want me to put these books?"

Realizing he didn't want to talk about it, she walked over and took the books from him, heading over to the Far side of the Library and placing them on a stool as she began to sort through them. In the time that followed, she got him to bring over a few more stacks and began to show him how the sorting system worked in the Library, and the order in which the books were placed. Putting the books onto their proper shelves, both of them stayed silent for sometime, both wrapped up in their own thoughts as they worked side by side.

His father wanted him to go to University? Then why didn't he, his grades were not so bad in High school, given his strength was sports he could have gone into it professionally. Why does it seem to trouble him so, talking about it? I won't pry…though hopefully he'll tell me with time, if only I could get him to trust me…Maria's thoughts swirled in her head, more and more questions went round and round in a never ending circle where everything came down to one simple question, Why didn't he go to University?

A similar thing was going on in Ray's mind, except the questions he was asking were not new, but had been there for years. The similar feeling of dread and guilt entered him, as it did every time he thought back on the period, except this time it was mixed with a somewhat fresher dose of guilt for not telling Maria about what happened, though he knew it couldn't be helped, she was only starting to trust him, he couldn't tell her about it when they had just started to become friends. Maybe just a little bit…but he couldn't tell her everything just yet.

Two Book cases later and about a quarter of the books stacked, an uncomfortable silence had started to descend onto the two. Both struggled to think of a topic of conversation that wouldn't bother the other, until finally Maria, though she knew she really shouldn't get into it, decided that the silence needed to be broken.

"So…Ray, what exactly would you have gone into if you had gone to university?" she asked somewhat timidly not taking her eyes away from the shelf in front of her.

"Well…honestly I have no idea, my Dad wanted me to go into Biology or something…or maybe it was Theology, I don't know, I really wasn't interested in that stuff. I kind of regret that now…" Maria turned to him, a thoughtful look on her face.

"Perhaps…if you would like…I-I could maybe teach you such things, after all I took such courses in University…" she said somewhat shyly.

"You mean…tutor me?"

"Well…I suppose you could put it that way…but yes…if you would like I could tutor you on such subjects…and then later on, if you wanted you could get into University."

"That'd be great! And it'd make my Dad happy, considering I'd at least be educated" He said smiling at her warmly, as a thought ran through his head; And maybe that would solve the whole mess, not to mention let me spend more time with her.

"A-Alright then…" she spoke softly, a red tinge on her cheeks, as her attention shifted towards the shelf instead and she pulled out an English Book. "We'll start with English basics and then from there we'll branch off to other things like Religion, Geography and History if you like."

"That sounds great, when should we meet for it?" he asked, noticing the blush on her cheeks and soon trying desperately to hide his own.

"Hmm, what about coming every Friday and Saturday afternoon? No one usually comes in then so we should be left in peace..."

"And Friday's are always slow for me, maybe the fish are like people and see Friday as their day before the weekend so they don't do much, just stay in one place and try to get their work done before the sun sets. It's the same thing with Saturdays except they stay at home instead." He smiled as he heard a small giggle come from Maria and felt contented that he hadn't made a fool of himself as he had other times with the joke. "We better get a move on putting away these books; we don't want to be here after the sun sets either…"

With a nod from Maria, the two began to organize the books more quickly, silence surrounding them once more, except this time a comfortable one, as the two thought of the many Fridays and Saturdays to come and their new found excuse to see one another.

In another part of town, just as Maria and Ray's conversation ended, a certain Carpenter we all know was walking up the pathway to the newly constructed Sanatorium, looking for the village doctor.

"I can't believe Joe fell off the roof AGAIN, at this rate the new Farmer's house is never going to be finished, it's the third time this week already that he fell…" Kurt grumbled as he reached the door and knocked, waiting for an answer. "And too top it all off, he just had make all those bricks fall while trying to get up, and hurt himself in the process! And

n a Wednesday too when the Clinic was closed! Ugh, what am I going to do with him…"

He knocked again, waiting for a reply, before just opening the door and walking inside. Scanning the ground floor and noticing it was empty, he sighed in frustration and was turning around to leave when he heard the most peculiar sound that seemingly came from right above him.

"I BELIEVE IN THE HEART OF THE CARDS!"

"Wha---"

"Yu-Gi-Oh!" A shuffling of feet was heard upstairs, along with a sigh. "Yugi should know by now that Pegasus is going to resort to anything to win, even if it means trapping his soul in another dimension."

Yu-Gi-Oh? Who watches that show anymore? How old was it now…3 or 4 years old…he thought to himself, as he began to ascend the stairs that he just noticed were beside him, trying to find the owner of the voice. It's a kid's show but the voice obviously belonged to someone in their late teens, maybe even early Twenties depending…

Getting to the top of the stairs and peering around the corner of the wall blocking off the other room; the person inside caught him completely by surprise. A girl standing about '5 "4 or 5"5 stood in the center of the room, her back to him as she leaned over a table that seemed to have large cards on it, turned down to hide the face. Her hair was a little bit shorter then her shoulders and a shiny black that caught the light. Her clothing looked expensive, with many intricate designs, particularly on the skirt, which unlike the other girls in the village, spread out around her and was a dark shade of green. Kurt unintentionally took a step forward, curious about the girl in front of him, who seemed very mysterious.

"Yes? What do you want; I'm a bit busy at the moment…"

"Oh! Sorry I-I was…Umm I w-was wondering...D-doctor…Uh, who are you?" he said nervously, startled that she had noticed him, even though she was still facing the table.

"My name's Dia, I came here with my nurse Gina to recover from Surgery…" she turned then, staring at Kurt with dark green eyes. "And you are Kurt, right?"

"H-How did you?"

"The cards…then again I highly doubt you'd be one to believe in them, you're the no-nonsense kind of person."

"Hey, just wait a minute! How would you know what I'm like?! You just met me!" she sighed and turned back towards the table, leaving a flustered Kurt standing behind her.

"As I said before…the cards, then again they are not always accurate…for example they said we would meet in a setting much different from this one." Dia nodded and flipped a card on the table, before turning back to him. "I guess you heard that little outburst before then, sorry I always was a fanatic when it came to that TV show."

"Uh well…its ok, we all are into something I guess…like me with my work, once I start something, I don't want to be distracted until its done…" he wondered why he was telling this girl this, he had just met her and yet he was telling her about himself. He shifted uncomfortably and looked around the room. "Um anyways, have you seen the Doctor by chance, my brother kind of—"

"Fell and hurt himself? I heard about that earlier from Gina, the doctor left with her just a little while ago after a girl came to tell them…I think it was Ann or something? She said she saw him fall from the roof…"

"Hmph, seems like you don't get everything from your cards after all."

"Well they don't always tell you everything; cards are mysterious in that way, not to mention you have to observe the world around you and know your place in it before you can discern others." seeming to think the conversation was over she walked back over to the couch near the end of the room in front of the TV. "It was nice meeting you though Kurt, perhaps we will meet again soon, until then I suggest you keep a more watchful eye on your brother, he may be older but he's a lot less mature."

Kurt nodded and with a quiet, nice meeting you, went down the stairs and exited the building, no longer thinking of the safety of his brother, as his thoughts focused on the girl in the Sanatorium, she was very mysterious, yet also very intriguing, and if he could, he would definitely try to see more of her.

Another A/N: Yes, another, I just wanted to clarify as to why I described Dia now and not before when Ray saw her, well for one something interesting is going to happen with Dia and Kurt, whether it be romance or something else is up to your imagination, but lets just say there is going to be something interesting that happens. Not to mention as well, that when Ray saw her, it was during the Fireworks festival and it was dark out, or well somewhat so he couldn't see her that well. Also there's the fact that Kurt is more attentive then Ray but anyways expect a few more of these little side stories at the end of chapters, not just with Dia and Kurt either, but with other characters, in particular Ray and Maria's friends. Until next time then!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: And Yay for Chapter 6! I'm sorry it takes so long for me to update, but between school, vocal, lack of inspiration and time on weekends its somewhat hard, but I still apologize! I think you'll like this chapter though, considering there's a bi more of a story to it, along with quite a bit of romance which I was proud about, so it will certainly be interesting. I hope you all like it though! And once again thank you all for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I swear to the Harvest Goddess that I do not own Harvest Moon, Marvelous does.

"_Roses are Red_

_Violets are Blue_

_She likes Flowers_

_Maybe I'll give her a few"_

Ray smiled to himself and held the notebook at arms length, looking over the poem to himself and nodding. 'Its pure genius! Simple yeah, but it's definitely soulful. Maria probably exaggerated half the time, how was writing Poems, _hard_? Ok, True if you decided to put in metaphors, allusions and stuff it could take awhile but poems that come from the heart? They've been around way before those famous depressed poets and script writers who were trying to impress people with their made up words, came in.'

Placing the notebook on his lap, he looked around at his surroundings, breathing in the dewy morning air and watching the water and leaves as the first rays of sunlight began touch their delicate surfaces.

The last few weeks had gone by quickly, the leaves in the area quickly discarding their healthy green color to become soft browns and oranges and the occasional yellow and red. As the middle of the month approached, the nights had started to be cooler and cooler, making the villagers, in particular the ranchers and the local carpenters, stop their work earlier then expected and retire to their homes for warmth. Very few even ventured out during the middle of day, and if they needed too, only walking short distances or to the new Café that had opened up at the beginning of the season and was being run by one of the old Moonlight Bar employees Carl, along with Katie, one of Maria's friends from the city who would often visit the village for social events.

Besides the recent cold weather, and new hangout, Ray was still most often found on the island or by the river, spending most of his time doing either catching and preparing expensive Autumn Fish which he would sell to the Inn or reading the book that Maria had given him to study between their classes. Each week they addressed at least two subjects, either lasting at least an hour or so. They usually began with English basics, or rather as the class was called by Maria; English 101, and Biology, and though at first to Ray it had seemed rather simple and repetitive, he soon began to enjoy not just Maria's company but the lessons as well.

However, because of Maria and Ray spending so much time in the Library together on Fridays and Saturdays, rumors had started to circulate among their friends, which the two were trying to quell.

Ray turned his head towards the horizon, seeing the sun beginning to come up in all its glory. A grin soon formed on his face, as his thoughts shifted to what he would be doing that day, for Maria had finally said she had wanted to start Theology and she had suggested that they go for a trip in the mountains; for, she had said, what better way to learn about the Gods then to see the land that they had created? Ray knew the day would definitely be better then most, because they always were when he was with a certain blue haired Librarian.

It was later on that day, long after the sun had fully risen and Ray had left to do his morning routine, when Maria and Ray were standing in front of the Library, a book bag being carried by each of them, heavy and cumbersome with the amount of books inside each, along with a small gray bag that Ray had over his shoulder, carrying the food and other provisions they would need while in the mountains.

Checking everything over once more Maria turned to the path in front of them, removing a small green book from her bag, the cover dusty and torn along with yellow pages, suggesting its age and began to walk forward. Ray quickly jogged after her, waiting for her to begin the lesson. As it happened, every time he came to the library for a lesson, he often found Maria reading, very deeply. During the first few lessons he hadn't been too sure what to do, often just standing there and waiting for her to finish, or trying to grab her attention, eventually realizing it was futile and instead sitting down and waiting for her to begin. Soon this became habit, and he now knew that it was best to give Maria time, and when she was ready she would start the lesson.

"Ray…how much do you know about the Harvest Goddess?"

It seemed she was ready. Ray slowed his pace and looked up toward the sky, as he had done earlier that day.

"Not much, just that she's supposed to help crops grow and bring people together, I never really cared much."

She nodded in response, almost as if she had anticipated the answer.

"I'm not that surprised…most people have forgotten about the Goddess and her ways, particularly those of the latest generations." She closed the book as the two passed the Junk Shop. "We have become so involved in technology, so certain about the sciences that we no longer believe in the magic that the Goddess creates."

Ray raised an eyebrow, staring at her curiously before shifting the pack on his shoulder.

"That can't be true; I mean…they have the Harvest Festival in some towns to celebrate the Goddess no? Just because one town doesn't do it, doesn't mean people have forgotten about her."

"Now that's what everyone says, saying someone else will do it, or one town won't make a difference." She looked at him sternly for a moment before turning back towards the road in front of her. "And besides, even if the people did participate in festivals, it doesn't mean that they necessarily worship the Goddess, Hearing is different from Listening after all."

With a puzzled look on his face, Ray's thoughts drifted to a small town he had once visited, much like Flowerbud. It had been located on a small island, and his parents and a friend of theirs had gone to see how the fishing conditions were there. There had been a small church on the island, where a tall, somewhat plump priest and a red haired nun had worshiped the Harvest Goddess, there must have been other places like that…other churches where the Goddess was worshiped, there must be quite a few who worshipped there…

"Well in some towns there are churches, there have to be plenty of people who worship there no?" he scratched the back of his head lightly. "I mean…ok maybe they don't understand what she does, but they worship her right? Isn't that all that matters?"

Maria shook her head, obviously expecting the answer again.

"No, one can't just worship the Goddess; it would be like…like…" she struggled to think of a good example and failing. "Alright well lets just say...worshiping is asking for guidance and using the Goddess for ones own needs, while believing is having faith that the Goddess will guide us and make sure we do the right thing…do you understand?"

"Kinda…" he replied, a confused look as his face as he looked ahead.

"Alright well…it's difficult to explain, though there is obviously a difference…" she put a hand to her chin lightly, as they turned to walk up the path beside the Clinic. "But just try to understand, the Goddess needs to be believed in, people must have faith in her and in the land."

"You mean…like if you believe farming is useful and that the Goddess encourages farming and that the land should be pure and healthy, your believing in the Goddess' powers?" he said thoughtfully, looking towards Maria too confirm the idea, who smiled brightly in response.

"Yes! That's a much better way of putting it actually. Sometimes simplicity is much better in these cases." She smiled at him once more, looking down for only a moment to put the book in her bag. "Hm…Ray would you like to hear the story from the beginning?"

"The beginning…?"

"Yes…the beginning of time in a sense and how the world became as it is now…" she continued to look ahead, waiting for his response.

"I guess, I can't imagine there really being that much to it though, the Harvest Goddess created the people to work the land, tend to it along with the many animals and live in prosperity, isn't that what the teachings say?" he said as he stretched, placing his hands behind his head.

"There is much more to it then that..." she sighed, a thoughtful expression on her face. "It is not just a passage from our book; the Goddess' story goes much deeper then that, a legend dating from thousands of years ago, that most have forgotten today…for it is one of the saddest legends we know…"

Ray nodded, unsure of what to say, he had never known a story outside of what he had been taught by the pastor who had passed by every Sunday to teach the children. Still…a sad story? How could the creation of the world be something sad? Didn't the pastor say that it was through the powers of the Goddess that the joyous birth of the world came about? Is it possible that, though it was joyous for the people, the birth of the earth somehow caused the Goddess pain? Ray turned back to Maria, giving her his undivided attention as he waited for her to begin.

"As you can imagine, it started thousands of years ago, long before people did anything besides farming and caring for the land, as well as domesticating or hunting the animals on it. In a place that Ethnologists call 'the void.'" Maria began, her eyes getting a somewhat faraway look to them as she recited the legend that she seemed to have read many times in the past…

The void, a black expanse that exists deep in space, is similar to a black hole, sucking everything inside of it. On the other side of this void exists a place supposedly more beautiful then anything on this earth. Crystal waterfalls, emerald grass, pure blue lakes and a sky that is in eternal twilight.

It was in this place that the two were born; the Harvest Lord and Goddess, supposedly formed by two mysterious substances coming through the void and mixing to create the two beings.

It is said that upon their arrival on the other side of the void, the Harvest Lord, though only an infant, used his powers he was given from the void to create the sun so as to light the way for other things that would drift into the void.

In this paradise, the two grew, their powers developing and their understanding of life forming. However, during this time, as they grew up together and spent more and more time with one another, they became very close, up until the point were one might say they were truly in love with one another. As a way to seal their love, the two decided to make earth, a place which they would model after the void, except with life that would walk over and appreciate the land as they did, and the two would look over this land from the Moon, were they created a large mirror, called the Mythic Mirror, which would show what was happening on the surface. This mirror is said to be a mirror made of some sort of Silver ore, with a silver liquid inside that ripples like the surface of a pond, and is reputed as the most beautiful thing ever truly created besides the Harvest Lord and Goddess.

And thus they began to make the earth, at first starting with the rich, fertile soil, and then the large expanse of water covering its surface, along with the many trees and plants littering the once barren planet that had been created around the same time as the void. It was before they were able to make their most beautiful creation that disaster struck; something else had been created from the void, though different from the two, for it was certainly not a living thing. It was some sort of magical power, invisible to the eyes of the two as it traveled through the universe. It was at this time that it was finally able to use its power, as it struck the Harvest Lord, trapping him inside the Mythic Mirror and mixing its power with its own to create a sort of barrier over the world, trapping the Harvest Goddess inside and away from the man she loved.

Saddened because she was separated from the man she had grown and fallen in love with, the Harvest Goddess used all her power to create the things that would inhabit this earth, the most care being put into the Humans, children created in the image of the two, who were to look over the earth and tend to it and the animals there. In a sense, they were the rulers, yet also the caretakers, of the planet.

It is also said, though it is more of a myth then legend; that the Harvest Lord, with his remaining power created his own Human, someone who would watch over the Goddess and would make sure she was alright in his stead.

With very little power left, the Goddess resigned to traveling over the earth's surface, roaming from place to place and making sure her children were taking care of the land, while she stores her power; until she has enough to summon the Harvest Lord to her, for a short period of time before the power sends him back to the moon.

Accordingly, the day that she summons the Harvest lord is associated with the Moon festival, which takes place every Autumn 9th, where the moon shines the brightest for the Harvest Lord and Goddess as using it to peer at the world, no longer apart but with one another.

Maria looked up at Ray to see his reaction to the legend she had just read. The two had reached the top of the mountain some time ago and had found a place to sit, not too far from the bridge though hidden by the large amount of trees. She had originally wanted to give him a more shortened version of the story, however, like the many times before, had soon become carried away.

"Wow…a Harvest Lord, the Mythic Mirror…none of these were ever mentioned in our religious texts." Ray said his back against the tree beside Maria, as he scratched the back of his head. "It just…it all sounds so odd compared to what they taught us."

"The church usually focuses more on the Goddess, because of the Harvest Lords lacks of manifestations or participation in the world today." She moved her feet out from under her and placed a finger on her chin. "Though then again, very few people nowadays even pay attention to the church anymore, preferring to believe in their own things and ignore the land."

"What I don't understand is why this legend isn't more well…known. I mean I think they would have at least mentioned it in our religion class, or that my Dad would have told me, he always did have a profound belief in the Goddess…"

"This legend isn't always accepted as true by everyone, some believe that it was written to appease the people who wished to find and ask the Goddess on why she made the earth, others believe that it was a hoax, written by some romance fanatic, yet with Modern technology we've actually been able to prove that quite a few things in this legend exist." She lowered her hand, once again placing it in her lap.

Ray plucked a piece of grass from the ground, twirling it between his fingers. "It is pretty sad though…do you think the Goddess is still heartbroken?"

"Well…considering we still celebrate the Moon Festival I would suppose that she still meets the Harvest Lord…" she paused, looking up into the many branches of the tree, its canopy streaked with colors, she continued, a soft almost sad tone to her voice. "Maybe she's not heartbroken…just…lonely and…lost…"

He stared at her curiously wondering if she was talking with the voice of experience. "Well you never know, maybe someday she'll get him, well I mean she'll get him back for good…" he said scratching the back of his head.

Maria stood up then, giving him a small smile and then pointing to a group of flowers. "Maybe we should see if you've retained any of the things I've taught you in the last few weeks before getting into a discussion about the Goddess…"

Ray nodded feeling suddenly confident, he had known that something like this was going to end up happening, so he had prepared and gone over the notes he had taken during the past few classes to make sure he didn't embarrass himself. He stood quickly, but before he could walk over to the flowers, loud footsteps were heard stomping down the path towards the cave, crunching the light layer of fallen leaves on the ground. After a few seconds a small thud was heard along with some grumbling and Maria and Ray looked at one another before hurrying towards the path.

Ray cautiously took a step unto the path, looking over to the cave mouth to see a very disgruntled purple-haired boy getting up and dusting himself off as he began to continue walking towards the cave.

"Why is it that every Moon Festival, instead of getting to spend time by myself at home because those pests are off with other toys of there's, where I can spend a night enjoying the full moon, I'm forced to come here to look after her?"

'_Jamie?_' Ray thought to himself, staring at the cloaked, antisocial farmer in question.

He grumbled something inaudible, and seemingly was about to continue however heard something behind him. It seemed that in Ray's haste he had taken a step towards him and had stepped on a rogue twig that had deftly snapped underneath his weight. His head whipped around, yet just as Ray was ready to run off, Maria burst out from behind the tree line standing to the side of Ray with an angry look on her face.

"How could you Ray! You knew how important today was for me! And yet you simply had to come here to fish and then run off on me when I tried to talk to you about our relationship! I can't believe you!" she yelled in seemingly real exasperation.

Ray stared at her, a clueless and utterly confused look crossing over his face. "I—uh…I didn't me…wha?"

"Ugh, you know what just! Never mind! I'm leaving!" she said before stomping over to the bridge leaving a somewhat dazed Ray behind her.

He looked back to Jamie for a moment, who shrugged his shoulders and turned around, continuing on his way as Ray ran off after Maria. He found her standing off to the side of the bridge staring into the water, her eyes following the movements of the fish.

"Maria…w-what was…I wasn't…" he looked down at his feet embarrassed before looking back at her. "Um…w-what happened back there?"

Maria giggled softly, turning to look over at him, before seeing his confused expression and smiling softly. "I'm sorry, I'm just somewhat curious as to what Jamie's up to, and I think he would have become somewhat suspicious if you had run in the other direction so…a distraction was in order."

"Ohhhh ok then…" Ray said sighing in relief, before looking back up at her in realization. "But wait…shouldn't we be following him now then?

Maria walked back unto the path, starting down the way to the cave, Ray staring after her in curiosity before quickly following, his thoughts about flowers and the purpose of the trip forgotten.

"I was watching him as you ran up; I believe he went into the cave over there." She pointed to the top of a road that led to a small cave in the mountain side, before crossing her arms over her chest. "I wonder who he was talking about though…"

"Who knows…he didn't seem happy with her though…so it may be one of the villagers…"

"Hm…I don't think so." She looked at the cave entrance intently. "I believe the 'pests' he referred to were the villagers actually."

Nodding in response he looked towards Maria as they began to walk up the steady incline. The things she had said before running through his head, causing a blush to rise to his cheeks and for him to look off to the side, drawing Maria's attention to him.

"Ray…is something the matter?"

He looked back at her, the blush on his cheeks fading slightly as he scratched the back of his head and smiled nervously.

"Nothing's wrong Maria…I was just…um…well, I was wondering why earlier, you used." He gulped loudly. "Why you u-used that particular d-distraction…"

Maria's cheeks reddened somewhat as she looked down shyly, her hand moving to hold her arm. "Well, it was a rather spur of the moment thing, and I know Jamie wouldn't bother us if we were talking about something romantic…b-because he doesn't like that sort of thing…a-and well I-It was the only thing that I could come up with at the time."

Ray chuckled almost nervously, noticing the blush on Maria's cheeks. "I guess it drove him away pretty quickly Huh? Then again he never was good with romance, friendship and that sort of thing." He turned towards Maria, smiling. "I guess me and him have that in common…still you sounded really convincing during that whole Lovers' quarrel thing…"

"I took a few extra curricular drama classes in University, and…well…it seemed alright at the time."

"Hey, it did get him to continue on his way…I just hope he doesn't start any rumors."

Her hands meeting once again in front of her, she looked on ahead, the red beginning to disappear from her cheeks. "I doubt that, Jamie was never one to spread gossip…or talk very much to the villagers in general."

"Yeah…he never talked much in school did he…I think the only time he did was really during Religion and Herbology…I never did understand why…"

Maria nodded her head slowly, her eyes roaming towards the cave which they were approaching, though her thoughts far from it and what Ray was saying. Her mind was going back to only moments earlier, making her think about the feeling that had flowed through her as she had begun that quarrel with Ray. She hadn't meant to say those things, they had just come out…yet the way she had addressed him, as if they were a couple. Rather then feeling uncomfortable, like the many times she had been put into a couple for her drama classes, this had for some reason felt…right in a way, natural, even if the argument had been silly and pointless.

She was only brought out of her thoughts when Ray's voice abruptly stopped and she looked around to find them at the top of the small hill, staring at the mouth of the cave.

"So what do you think we'll find in there?" Ray asked uncertainly.

"Maybe Jamie has a secret companion that lives in there and that he's been taking care of all this time?"

"Either that or there's a hermit or fugitive hiding in the cave who he's been supporting with his crops." Joked Ray as he squinted, trying to get a better look inside.

"I guess there would be only one way to find out then."

She took a step forward and, her face set with a determined look, she continued on into the cave, a somewhat nervous Ray following her. They walked in darkness for several minutes, silence surrounding them as their hands touched the walls, one of the few stable things in the darkness that seemed to have no end. No words passed between the two, in fear of an echo that could be heard or the fact that perhaps that there was a spirit inside the cave waiting for them, none the less, the minutes passed slowly, the two still moving forward, until a dull blue light could be seen up ahead, along with the voice of a familiar farmer. The two slid against the wall then, peering off the edge of the entrance into the area in front of them, so as not to be seen.

"You know that there is absolutely no other way, its either we try this or we leave her in this state forever." The purpled haired farmer said, looking at someone that he blocked from the two's view.

"It has still never been done before; we do not even know what the side effects could be…" came the reply of what seemed to be a much older and sadder voice.

"Then again, I don't think anyone saw the Goddess turning herself into stone anytime soon…and obviously there will be problems because the spell is meant to be used on a human, not a deity."

Maria turned towards Ray, confusion on his face, while a look of revelation on hers, though they were barely able to be seen in the dark. The Librarian turned back towards the room in front of them, for the first time looking at the surroundings.

A small island connecting to the front of the cave was surrounded by pristine water that appeared to hold shining crystals in its depths, along with green glowing fireflies flying lazily above its surface. Across from the island was another platform, covered in white and yellow flowers along with lush green grass. The site above that, though, made her gasp in amazement, yet shock at the same time. For above that on a higher platform, surrounded by instruments that shown under the glow of the fireflies, was a statue of a being that the whole world knew about, looking up at something far beyond the cave, a cold lifeless look in her eyes and her hands, frozen in an eternal prayer that seemed to go out towards the heavens.

"R-Ray…Th-the…Harvest Goddess…she…" Maria stuttered, her eyes never leaving the figure in front, her fear of Jamie overhearing forgotten.

"She...she's...stone…" Ray could not believe what he saw, the Goddess, whom the people of this earth depended on…had she turned herself to stone to free herself from her tiresome burden? Had she really forsaken her duties…or had human's forced her too? These questions filled his head, his previous thoughts pushed back as shock soon settled in. The Goddess had been turned to stone.

"Why would she do this…I know the last time I had seen her, she was starting to lose strength and hope because the people had begun to lose faith…but to resort to this…I never thought she would ever…" the voice cracked then, making it apparent that whoever was speaking was certainly in tears.

"Don't you remember what else happened the last time you spoke to her? Don't you remember what you said to her?" Jamie almost spat out in a low, somewhat dangerous voice.

Shuffling was heard, along with the startled reply from the other voice. "You don't mean…when I told her I couldn't…I caused this?" Jamie shifted, looking rather annoyed, yet giving a full view to the person standing in front of him.

The man standing in front of Jamie had long turquoise hair, about Mid-back, straight, yet somewhat faded. He had a long face, pale from what seemed to be many days out of the sun, yet a sort of radiance that suggested regality. His back was connected to what looked like a large silver pool, that rippled with each action he took and that if one looked closely enough at, showed faces, forests, vast oceans, small villages and lost cities in its depths. His eyes were a soft, faint green, that were filled with sadness and obvious pain from years of torment, yet the most notable thing about his was the birth sign right above his eyes. It was also a light green, with looping, leaf and vine patterns on his forehead, looking very similar to a circlet, which bore a striking resemblance to the symbol on the Harvest Goddess' forehead.

Maria had no doubt that this was certainly was the Harvest Lord, coming down to earth, with the power he had stored over the year to join his beloved…only to find that she had been turned to stone.

"You were the one who broke her heart." Hatred seemed to drip from Jamie words. "You said you wouldn't be able to see her anymore, did you know what that did to her!? Couldn't you have used that stupid Mirror of yours to check up on her and see the pain she was going through!?"

"You know I had no choice Jamie…ever year I become weaker, I need all my strength to fight this…this evil power…"

"Couldn't you just try to use the power you have now to free her!? Without her, this world will slowly rot away! The person tainted and confused, fighting against on another for no reason whatsoever, without her this world is doomed!"

The Harvest Lord turned, looking up towards the Harvest Goddess, his eyes shining as Jamie's eyes followed him. "She would never do that to her people, true this world would perhaps do more poorly then when she was here, but she would at least leave something to take care of these people."

"Can't you at least try at help her? Anything at all, you're the Harvest Lord, aren't you supposed to be the strongest being in existence?!"

An angry air seemed to surround the Harvest Lord as he look back upon Jamie with piercing eyes. "It's not that simple, I cannot break a spell this powerful in the current state I'm in…maybe not even in my most powerful state, for to go against the will of the Goddess, especially when she is under a particularly powerful spell, brought upon by her own emotions, it would be nearly impossible to break."

Jamie took a step back and he too noticed for a first time that there were three little Harvest sprites standing beside him, their heads moving between the two.

"Then how do you know that this thing will work?! You never tried it before."

The Harvest Lord looked uncertain for a moment, causing a look of horror to pass over Jamie and the Harvest Sprites face as they looked at him.

"It has to work." The Harvest Lord spoke softly, obvious strain in his voice. "We created this long ago…when we had first given life to this world, for we knew that sound and the music of the land was the most beautiful thing in existence…and we were certain that when the time came, and if it ever in need of help, our children would be able to play the Magical Melody…with the instruments that we created at the beginning of time."

Maria and Ray looked on in silence, never would they have thought that the Goddess would be here of all places, and that Jamie, the recluse of Flowerbud would happen to know her, not to mention the Harvest Lord. A sense of awe filled them as they realized that they were most likely the first people in many years passed, besides Jamie, that had ever actually seen the Harvest Goddess, let alone the Harvest Lord. Yet there was also a sense of sadness as well, for they realized that the Goddess' had brought this upon herself, for she was heartbroken not only over the state of the world but also over the ways of its people.

"I guess, all we can do is to continue collecting those notes?" Jamie spoke, breaking the silence that had filled the cavern. "To complete the Magical Melody you two made, that can save her?"

The Harvest Lord nodded, staring up at the Goddess, a glossy look in his eyes, showing that his thoughts were as far from there, as the place where the Goddess was looking onto.

"Alright, then I'm going to get them all." Jamie said gruffly, adjusting his hat and beginning to walk towards the exit. "And I'll do whatever it takes to bring her back…"

"Are you sure you won't need any help Jamie?" The Yellow Harvest sprite piped up, looking at him eagerly along with the other Harvest sprites.

"I don't need any help! Especially not from you three useless Sprites! You can barely use your magic to water a single field, let alone help me find those notes; I'll do it on my own."

Jamie walked briskly towards the exit, passing by Maria and Ray, who by some slim chance of fate were not noticed at all by him. The Harvest Sprites in turn, looked back over to the Harvest Lord, who had floated to the top of the Platform and knelt down before the Harvest Goddess.

"I am so sorry my love…for it was me who brought you so much sadness. If I had only been strong enough to counter this curse upon me then I could have helped you finish creating this earth and look over it with you." Sadness filled his voice, as he raised his hand up, lightly touching her intertwined fingers. "I know that one day was never enough, for me it seemed like an eternity, waiting for this day to come and watching you take care of the land…I cannot imagine what you must have gone through as you looked over this land that you had created on your own, being fully capable to leave the confines but not wanting to, in case you found out I was free."

A shining droplet of water fell onto the feet of the Goddess, sliding down into the grass below. "I should have allowed you to move on, to find someone else to love, for it hurts me so to know that I was the one who caused you the greatest pain. For you were always waiting for me, hoping for my freedom, and it caused you the greatest loneliness."

The Harvest Lord then got up slowly, pressing his lips against her cold forehead. His eyes closed as he began to turn away from her and float back down to the island.

"You, my sweetest dove, who I have betrayed by simply not allowing you to take flight, forgive me for the pain I have caused you, for from now on, I promise to try my best to fight this…and to help you…" A sad smile graced his lips. "Help will be coming to free you soon…I promise."

Ray and Maria sat on the edge of the forest, their legs hanging off the Cliffside as they thought back to what they had heard in the cave just moments earlier. They had both left sometime after the Harvest Lord had whispered his words of promise to the Goddess, and by the time they had re-entered the forest, the sky had been tinged by an array of oranges and reds. The tree's swayed lightly as a regular autumn breeze passed by, the two letting it go unnoticed as they tried to process what they had just seen and heard.

"The Goddess…The Harvest Lord…A Magical Melody…" Ray bent over and held his head in his hands as his face scrunched up in confusion. "What does it all mean?"

"The Magical Melody…made at the beginning of time by the Goddess and Lord, to be used to remedy illnesses created by the Great Evil and purify the earth that could be tainted." Was Maria's simple reply, her voice sounding almost robotic, as she quoted the passage.

"Wait…you know what it is?"

"Of course…though not well known to the people, the Magical Melody is a big controversy in the Religious community." She sighed, her feet banging lightly against the cliff, as she swung them. "Honestly…I thought it never existed…how could a song cure all illness, get rid of all impurities?"

"It really does sound crazy…but I guess if the Harvest Lord believes it will work…well...we can't argue with a God…"

Maria nodded slowly, as she looked down at Star pond. "The Harvest Lord, is another thing…"

"Yeah…we're probably the first normal people in a thousand years to have actually laid eyes on him…scratch that, maybe we're the _only_ normal people who have ever seen him." He grinned at her, trying his best to lighten the mood.

Maria grinned back weakly, trying to answer some of the many questions running through her mind. "It is interesting though, we were talking about him earlier today, and that how it was on this day, every year that he came to visit the Goddess." She looked back in the direction of the cave. "He truly did sound heartbroken when he found out she had done that to herself…"

Ray nodded, continuing to look at Maria. "Jamie seemed to think it was his fault too…that probably didn't help him much either…"

"The Goddess…because of her people losing faith and mistreating the land, she believed they had forgotten about her and what love was…" she turned back towards Ray, a sad look entering her eyes. "How could Humans ever stray so far from the path she believed we would follow, what have we done to the Land that sustained us and the Goddess that gave us life…have we truly all forgotten the teachings of the Goddess? Have we really lost her forever?"

Ray looked at her speechlessly as he tried to think of the suitable thing to say in this situation, in the end opting to pull her into a hug. "The Magical Melody will bring her back, like Jamie said; all we need to do is collect the notes…I know once the people know of this they'll realize they too must also help find the notes." Maria placed her chin on his shoulder, as he continued. "We will find a way to save the Goddess whom we Humans turned away, and we will find a way to return her lost love…we'll just start small, with only the two of us and Jamie…"

Maria nodded slowly as she pulled away from him and they both sat looking at one another.

"Its just so odd, after all this time searching and looking for answers about the Goddess, that when she finally was found, in a way she wasn't really there…and that it was her children who caused it."

Ray shook his head, turning to look up at the rapidly darkening sky. "It wasn't the people who were searching for her that did it though; it was those who gave up on looking for the Goddess and tried to find an easy way out to everything."

"Ray…" A smile spread across her features, as she too looked towards the sky. "Thank you…"

"Hey, no problem; as long as you don't blame yourself for it, your one of the least at fault I think." he chuckled to himself. "Me on the other hand…"

Maria closed her eyes and giggled as she leant back, her hands immersed in the grass. "I think don't you are at fault either Ray, you respect nature and the things around you, and have always seemed to believe in the Goddess unconditionally, not questioning her existence…though teachings perhaps is another story but then again many have done so in the past." They both laughed together, as the sun fully disappeared below the horizon. "Beyond that, I think you certainly are not apart of the large amount who have stopped searching."

"I think we're certainly suitable to help search for the Notes then aren't we?" he smiled, but as he turned to look at her a large figure caught the corner of his eye. "Maria…look…"

She opened her eyes, following his gaze to see the large, shining moon moving up above them. "The Moon…"

"I guess the Harvest Lord decided that, even though he could not spend the night with his love, at least he could let others do so…" Ray grinned, not noticing the red that had crept onto Maria's cheeks.

"I suppose so…"

Looking around to see if any other people had come to watch the moon from the mountaintop, his gaze fell on several blue flowers which were a few feet away from him.

_Perfect_, he thought to himself, grinning as he leant forward and swiped up the flowers. _Viola papilionacea__, also known as the Common Blue violet, or called the Blue Mist flower here in Flowerbud…_

"Hey Maria…this is Viola papilionacea right?"

She looked down at the flowers in his hand, a smile spreading across her face, as she nodded and looked at him with pride. "That's right, you remembered…"

"Of course I remembered! I don't just sit in that sweltering hot library to daydream all day now do I?" He grinned, putting the flowers out in front of you, as he looked down bashfully. "Anyway, I was thinking, as a way to say thank you, I was wondering if you wouldn't mind spending the rest of the Moon festival with me…oh and take the flowers as a bonus, well only if you want them, you don't have to if you don't want too…"

Maria giggled before taking the flowers from his hand and moving over a bit towards him. "I'd love to Ray, and the flowers are quite nice as well."

He scratched the back of his head nervously, as an embarrassed blush came upon his face. He moved closer to Maria, as both turning their attention towards the moon overhead, a smile on both of their faces. They began to relax, their minds at ease as the birds, safe in their nests, sung their final notes, the crickets warmed their wings for a long night and a soft wind blew, a sign from the Harvest Lord, who was far beyond where anyone could see, gazing down at them as he softly sung a haunting melody that only one other would know.

"_Shone upon the sweetest night, dancing upon so many faces, children of love, the world and light, with the Goddess' embraces…"_


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Hello everyone! Yes, I know it's once again been a long time between updates, and for that I apologize…yet again. I'm not too sure if a lot of people will like this chapter, because I kept trying to put romance in yet still try to give the chapter meaning. I hope it ended up turning out alright though, and the characters aren't acting too odd. Hopefully with summer coming and my renewed will to write, chapters will be put up more frequently, if so then OA may just end up ending sooner then I expected…considering there is actually not much left to the story. Anyways…I hope you all enjoy the chapter!

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"Fall always brings good Fishing

But the season passes I end up wishing

That the person who gives me bliss

Would just give me a kiss"

The Fisherman held the notebook at arms length and admired his handiwork. Reading over the second couplet, his cheeks reddened, his thoughts straying to the girl who was most likely just waking up. Closing the book quickly, he looked around him, making sure that no one had seen what he was doing.

Slowly he stood, silence surrounding him, as he became absorbed in his thoughts once more, so absorbed in fact that he didn't see a certain dark skinned, bandana wearing, friend of his walk past him towards the Callaway Café, obviously bearing some very important news.

"Now this Katie, you gotta hear!" a cheerful Dan said as he walked into the café, a wide grin on his face, most likely the cause being the information he had gathered. "Your never gonna believe."

Katie was around the counter in a flash, zooming past Carl, who was at the time carrying some empty mugs back behind the counter, so fast that he nearly lost his footing and fell over.

"What? What happened? Who did Gwen fall in love with this time? Does it have to do with Michael and Liz…tell meeeee…" Katie seemed to jump up in down in anticipation, watching as Dan calmly walked towards the counter, his hands behind his head as he sat down on one of the stools.

"Well…it does have to concern romance, but I guess you figured that out already huh fruit-cake?" His grin grew larger as he used the nickname, as he continued to tease her. "It does have something to do with your friend however."

"Gwen?! Oh don't tell me…she finally fell for Blue huh!? I knew with their liking of horses and the way she's just always drawn to farmers that she would eventually come out with it!" She squealed in delight, heading back behind the counter, putting her elbows on the counter in front of Dan, as she leaned forward eagerly. "So spill…give me the details, what happened with her lover boy? Anything…interesting, I should know about?"

"It's got nothing to do with Gwen, or Eve if your wondering, its someone you would never suspect."

"Ann, that girl has always been tomboyish enough."

"Nope."

"Ellen, that girls been the shyest thing since Elementary school, did she finally tell someone how she feels?"

Dan shook his head, as Carl's head turned at the mention of the girl's name. "Nope…try again."

"Wait...you can't mean…" Katie's eyes grew round as she stared back at Dan. "MARIA!?!"

Dan smirked, leaning back and closing one eye as he did so. "Yup…I know, prude, quiet Maria…no one would have ever guessed…but it happened…"

"So, so, tell me who the guy is?"

Dan leaned forward conspiratorially, enjoying the power he seemed to have as Katie followed his every move and clung on to each word he said. Not too far, though unbeknownst to them, Carl listened as he cleaned a cup in the sink.

"I know you're not going to believe this but, you know how recently Maria has been busy every Saturday and Friday of the past few weeks…and has been spending less time with you guys?"

"Yeah…wait how would you know?" she asked curiously, sending a questioning look in his direction.

Dan shook his head, giving Katie an annoyed look. "Does that really matter now? Anyways, well you see one of my buddies has been away on Fridays and Saturdays too, actually since around the same time as Maria, and they've been seen around a lot together too…"

Katie nodded, waiting for him to continue, not in the slightest way bothered that she herself had not heard about them being seen together, for she was too intent on hearing the actual gossip itself to care about the sources.

"So…who's this friend of yours?"

"Nu Uh…now let me finish, for I am a genius when it comes to the gossiping arts and I would prefer if you did not interrupt me again." He coughed roughly, before once again looking at her. "So, as I was saying, they've been seen a lot together recently, and rumor has it too that they spent the Moon night festival together and that he often walks her back to her door before leaving to go home himself…it seems as if there is some definitely going on here, even if the idea still seems crazy."

"So who is it anyways? Kurt? I always thought the two would make a good couple, Joe maybe? I could see him managing to win his way through to her heart with his funny comments and warm personality. Though it could be Blue too, for she could have melted the ice around his heart with her smile and gentle approaches." A dreamy look came onto Katie's face, before she frowned as she saw Dan shake his head, his grin growing wider. "Oh no you can't mean…"

"Yup…Ray and Maria are a item."

Katie gawked at him, mouth opening and closing as he brain tried to process the information. "T-That can't b-b-be…Maria has more sense then that…Ray of all people, the man obsessed with fish and who is afraid of girls. Of all the unromantic people to fall for…he's the worst…"

"Ray really isn't the Ladies Man type, yet magically he managed to break through her barriers, how I have no idea but the two have been spending a lot of time together."

"Still, How!? They're nothing alike, and Maria, even throughout University, always paid more attention to her studies then guys and even so I always pictured her with the quieter, intellectual, sweet, understanding and romantic type, not an athletic fisherman, who is stubborn and competitive and never excelled at school. How could this have happened?"

"I know, it's weird, I thought Ray would have been smarter then to go with-" he stopped himself as he saw Katie look up at him with a raised eyebrow. "Then to jump into things so quickly! Especially with Maria…"

It was at this point that Carl finally walked over to the counter and decided to voice his thoughts. "Are you sure you aren't just misinterpreting the situation? Maybe the two are just friends who happen to spend a lot of time with each other."

"_Alone,_ Carl? And on top of that, when they have nothing in common? Girls and Guys can't be friends for no reason… it's just not natural." Katie said, looking over her shoulder to stare at him with a somewhat smug, yet knowing look on her face.

"So…final verdict? You think the two are going out?" asked Dan, cutting into the conversation before Carl could retaliate.

"Going out…definitely…"

"Perhaps…but I would suggest rechecking your sources Dan…" Carl spoke with a bothered look on his face as he walked into the back area.

"Good then…well, I better be off, I still have to tell Gwen and the others; the good news." Dan smirked once again, getting off his stool and heading towards the door, his purpose fulfilled.

"Why did you come to me first?" asked Katie curiously, staring after him.

Dan turned and grinned widely at her. "I just wanted to double check and see whether you thought they were relationship material; don't want to walk in there with fake ammo after all." He stuck out his tongue at her confused expression, before opening the door and leaving the warm building; leaving a confused, yet thoughtful Katie and busy Carl, behind.

After a quick morning routine, Ray walked down the now familiar path to the library, contemplating about the events of several days past. It was now Tuesday, a few days after the Moon Festival, and the two had been so busy that they had been unable to see one another or their friends for that matter.

Ray knew that both of their groups of friends were talking about their disappearance on the Fridays and Saturdays of the last few weeks and how the two had often kept to themselves since fall had begun. Knowing this, he had decided to go to the Library earlier in the morning, leaving his regular routine until later to discuss what they had seen at the festival, for he knew that most, if not all their friends would be asleep. Yet, he had not figured out though, that the two groups had finally made a connection between the simultaneous disappearances and lack of communication with their own friends; they knew the two were up to something, and that it was fairly obvious that they were doing it together.

Despite the early morning and caution he was supposed to be taking, Ray smiled to himself; pursing his lips and whistling an old farming tune soon after, as he turned the corner and walked in the opposite direction of the cafe. Even if the two were going to only talk about what happened a few days before, he at least got to spend some time with her even though it wasn't a lesson day.

"Just maybe…:" he thought his whistling dying down. "I could try to get her to spend the day with me too, she always did say the library was very quiet on Tuesdays and she could leave if she wanted to…"

His eyes looked over the barren lot to his right, starring at the many weeds that covered the ground. The area had been abandoned for as long as he could remember, though it was once said that it belonged to one of the original farmers who settled the village for plants that grew better in more dry soil. He remembered seeing Jamie looking at the lot several times, analyzing the grounds and the rotting fence when he had been fishing by the river, and had looked over to the library.

Ray's cheeks warmed only momentarily as his thoughts strayed to as to why he had looked at the library so many times, before his thoughts drifted back to their original course. Jamie had been looking at that lot for a reason…something had happened there…he was certain of it.

_Could it be...that doing something there will help you get a "note' for the magical melody?_

The Magical Melody, a mysterious song said to be created by the Gods themselves that could cure anything. A fairytale to most it was, it did have an absurd story with it after all, and was more for the extremely religious, not those who believed in science.

Ray continued down the street, his hands going up behind his head as he turned the corner to the library. The sound of a door closing softly caught his attention and his eyes snapped to the entrance of the library, where to his surprise, he saw Maria, quietly closing the door, a bag in her left hand as her right fumbled with the key in the lock. A smirk crossed Ray's features, a playful look in his eyes as his hands fell from behind his head and he quietly tiptoed up the stairs, then placing a firm hand on Maria's shoulder and deepening his voice to make it sound scolding, he spoke.

"Now Maria, where did you plan on going during this time of day?"

Her body tensed under his hand, as she turned swiftly to face him, a guilty look on her face when looked back at him. The young man's hand dropped from her shoulder, a wide grin on his face as recognition dawned on Maria's features, then was soon replaced by an annoyed look as Ray burst out into laughter.

"Ray! Don't scare me like that! I thought you were one of the other shop owners or worse…" she narrowed her eyes at him somewhat, before taking a step back from him. "My father!"

The fisherman's laughing however soon spread and Maria found herself giggling as well. Several minutes passed in this way, they're laughter filling the silence of the tree surrounded area. Finally calming down though, Ray smiled sheepishly at her, before scratching the back of his head.

"Sorry, it was just too good of an opportunity, after all I never thought I would be seeing _the_ Maria skipping out on your duties…" he said a playful tone to his voice.

She shuffled her feet shyly, as a light pink rose to her cheeks. "Well…I was just thinking of a few things, and considering the library was rather quiet, I thought it might be alright if I walked around a little bit to sort out my thoughts."

"Yeah, I've felt that way too recently…"

"Saturday left things on your mind too huh; it really did leave a lot of things to think about…and many questions as well…"

"I was actually on my way here to talk to you about it and…uh well." A shy smile appeared on his face as his scratched the back of his head once again. "And I was going to try and pull you away from the library and ask you to come to the island with me."

Maria's eyes softened at the offer, happy that he was actually willing to bring her to the fishing island, even though he had said many times before that it was a place that he went to when he wanted peace and quiet. It was his sanctuary, the place where he felt at peace, and that he had never brought anyone else in fear that the peace would be destroyed, his sanctuary compromised. His trust surprised her and yet warmed her heart at the same time, for it meant that they had truly become close in such a short time, close enough that they could trust each other with the others secret treasures and truth be told, for her it was more then anything she could have wished for.

"I'd love to Ray; it would be nice to be somewhere calming at the moment, and I think the ocean would be just the place." Maria smiled brightly at him before taking a few steps towards the stairs.

He grinned broadly, a mental victory going on in his head as he turned and followed the librarian down the stairs and up the road, walking back up the path he had come down just moments before.

"Are you sure you're alright with it though Ray?" Maria spoke softly, almost so that it was difficult for Ray to hear.

"Well treasures are meant to be shared with others aren't they? And it's the least I can do after all you've done for me…"

"Ray, really you know I love our lessons, its one of the few things I look forward to in the week. They're always interesting." The next part went unsaid but in her mind. "And at least it lets me spend time with you…"

A contemplative look came across Ray's features, silence all around them, save for the sound of their feet crunching against the fallen leaves.

"I still feel as I owe you though, you haven't minded at all about me coming to the library and disturbing you and you've already taught me a lot already, I just don't feel right that I haven't done anything for you so…"

"Ray…" Maria looked at him again before placing on hand on his arm. "As I've said before, you really owe me nothing, I like that I'm able to pass on my knowledge so that it doesn't go to waste, and your not disturbing me…I really like your company…"

Now it was Ray's turn for a bush to rise to his cheeks. "W-well I-I Uh…um…still! I don't feel right about doing nothing in return so…"

"Hm…well…" Removing her hand from his arm, she instead placed one finger on her chin, her expression turning into one in deep thought.

"What?"

"Well I always have wanted to know about fishing, there are several books on it in the Library and I've always admired it since I was young so…perhaps you could teach me?"

Yet another broad smile appeared on Ray's face, certainly not the last for that day as he nodded his head happily in response to her request. Of all the things she could have asked of him, this one was certainly the most unexpected, yet probably the best thing she could have asked for, considering it was a thing he was very willing to give.

Maria knew that fishing was much more then a profession to Ray, it was a way of life and a passion, something one had to put their heart and soul into. His passion was certainly something Maria was familiar with, though for her it came from writing and reading, though to the extent he took it was something she found amazing.

During school, fishing was what he often spoke about in essays and reports, and also on occasion with his friends. At the time, she had thought it was because he had a narrow mind and wasn't as open to the world as his father was, frankly she had still believed that until that night by the river when she had first properly talked to him. It was his passion true, something he cherished dearly, but he didn't only think of that, he also cared about his friends and the world around him and took them in as much as he could. To her, he was a care-free man, who was passionate about his profession but still cared about the things around him, and in that way his dedication amazed her at times.

"-so yeah, all of that combined with the grip on the rod should make things pretty easy, then again its better to show things rather then talk about them huh?" her turned to her, his eyes closed as a wide grin shown on his face, a look of complete happiness etched into his features.

"Certainly…" she said rather dreamily in response, her thoughts back to the present. They were just passing the Callaway Café, its curtains drawn and the area around it quiet as it was long before it was to be opened.

A silence fell over the two then, comfortable though it was, as they headed across the bridge and over to the docks. A wind had begun to pick up, and the leaves were rustling all around them, signaling that yet another storm was coming.

A loud dolphin cry was heard just a few feet away as the Librarian and Fisherman finally step foot on the dock. Maria looked over the edge of the dock and saw an adult dolphin sticking its head above the water just a little bit below her. She moved her hand slowly placing it lightly on the tip of its nose to feel its soft skin.

"Hey Skip, sorry to keep you waiting, I had a few things to do this morning." Ray's voice came from beside Maria, causing her to look at him curiously as he too reached his hand forward but instead to pet the dolphin's head. "And I have someone to introduce to you too, she's going to be coming with us to the island today…"

"A sea friend of yours Ray?" Maria smiled at him, before withdrawing her hand.

Ray nodded as he continued to pet the dolphin's head fondly. "You could say that, I've known this little guy for awhile, he's also the way I get to the island."

"He…brings you to the island?"

Ray smiled at her, noticing the uncertainty in her voice. Before further explaining himself however, he looked back towards the dolphin, placing his hands on his knees.

"So Skip, this is Maria, remember that lady friend I told you about? And Maria this is Skip."

Still looking uncertain, yet now also somewhat nervous, Maria looked at the dolphin and tried to give it a soft smile. "Hello Skip, it's nice to meet you."

The dolphin chirped happily in response, diving and doing a small flip underwater, receiving a delighted look from Maria, before coming back to the surface and facing the opposite way.

A feeling of dread entered Maria for she had a fairly good idea what was going to happen next and she wasn't sure whether it would be safe or not. Though, despite her fervent hopes, she was proved right when Ray swung his legs over the edge and gently slipped onto the dolphins back, before making the dolphin move sideways so that it was parallel with the dock.

"Ready, Maria?"

"Ray…are you sure this is safe, I don't think Dolphin's can carry a whole Human on their backs…and two would be even worse…" Worry enlaced themselves with Maria's words as she looked between Ray and the Dolphin.

"Trust me Maria you'll be fine, Skip here has carried his fair share of people." He stretched out a hand to her. "Just try it ok?"

Maria nodded her head slowly, before swinging her legs over the edge and slowly taking Ray's hand. Then, with a movement much too quick for her liking, Ray pulled her swiftly onto the Dolphin, making her sit in front of him nearer to the fin. She grabbed it lightly, though with a rather uncertain grip and a nervous feeling in her stomach. Knowing her uneasiness, Ray wrapped his arms around her from behind, also placing a hand to hold onto the fin, while the other on her to make sure she wouldn't fall off, as a strong blush rose to his cheek and a shy smile to Maria's.

With a loud chirp, the dolphin's way of signaling their departure, it started swimming at a fast pace, off in the direction of the island.

Shaky and frightening was what Maria thought of it for the first few seconds as they rode the dolphin. Soon however, she began to relax as she took in the sun and felt the water spray lightly against her cheek. Being on the water in this way, it was something very few must experience, she concluded. The sound of the wind and feel of the water was calming, along with the chirping of the dolphin was comforting. She could certainly see now why Ray went to the island so much, the way to get there was certainly something that was quite remarkable.

Finally the dolphin began to slow, the water now moving more slowly against their legs as a small rock formation came into view, located on the northern most one, was a small dock, which the dolphin stopped at, much in the same manner as it had done before.

Ray got off first, obviously used to getting off the dolphin as he tucked his legs underneath him, placed his hands on the wood and pulling himself onto the dock, before taking hold of Maria's hands, telling her to tuck her legs underneath her, like he had before and pulled her up.

The two stood on the dock then, their hair being blown about by the wind.

"So…what did you think of it?" Ray asked curiously as he released her hands.

"It was…incredible…" She responded truthfully. "I could-It was just…I have no idea how to describe it…"

He scratched his face, chuckling light to himself. "That's why I didn't tell you beforehand, it's very difficult to describe the actual thing you know? It's one of the enjoyable things about being a fisherman."

"It certainly helped me clear my mind however, I should be able to sort my thoughts out now…thank you."

"It really wasn't a big deal." He smiled at her, before walking over to the other side of the island and sitting down on the edge, swinging his legs over the side much like he had when they were on the dock. "We still have the fishing to do after all."

Maria nodded as she walked over to him, sitting down beside him with her legs tucked underneath her, as she waited for him to explain. She saw him take out his fishing rod and line from the pockets of his tunic, along with a small box of hooks.

"Ok, the first thing you have to do, when fishing is secure and check your rod to see if its in good condition." He picked up his rod experimentally, before reaching into his pocket and taking out another retractable one, handing it over to Maria, who opened it soundlessly. "To do this you have to bend the rod a few times and try and lock the different levels of it in place before attaching the line to the top."

His hand tapped his rod before bending it slightly, the movement being copied by Maria, as well as her shifting it from hand to hand.

"To attach the line, you take a simple thin, processed horse hair string and tie it to this little loop here." He showed the small loop to her before taking a piece of string and showing her how to tie it. "Now this is called the Devil's knot and is kind of just two knots put together. Once you're done attaching it to the top, you just take a hook and do the same for the bottom and voila, you have an assembled rod."

Maria nodded and began to assemble her own rod. The first knot was done with ease, finished in but a few seconds, but she began to have a more difficult time with the second knot through the hook, which had a much smaller loop. After noticing her struggle for awhile, Ray gently took the now mangled hook and string, unwound it and began to attach it properly. Ray noticed a rather disappointed look on her face, though he could tell it was more with herself them anything.

"Don't worry about it." He said softly as he finished the knot and gave it back to her. "Trust me I always had a hard time with the knot when I was little, I had to get my Dad to do it for me most of the time."

Maria nodded, a weak smile forming on her lips as she urged him to continue.

"Alright, the next part is pretty easy, just attach one of the flies to your hook, and then cast the rod, its not that hard really but it takes awhile to get used to so I'll help you." He took a fly in his hand and attached it to the rod, attaching one to Maria's as well before taking his rod and showing her how to cast it. "Do you think you got it Maria?"

"Yes…I think I can get most of it…" she took the same position as him and help her rod in a firm grip. "So then for casting you just bring it back and pull it forward?"

"Hmm well…"

Ray walked up being Maria, his hands moving over to her arms to position them in the right places before taking his own rod and showing her the technique. After a few more tries, she finally managed to get it fairly far out in the water and the two, both rods cast into the water, sat on the edge and waited.

"Hm… so…Maria I was wondering…" Ray said, his arms fidgeting a bit as he tried to adjust his own rod. "What were you thinking about earlier? I don't think anything, unless it's very big, could take you away from the library."

Maria looked down at the rod in her hands, loosening and tightening her grip on it as she tried to think of the proper words to say.

"It's Saturday, I guess that your thinking about?" Ray said looking over at her.

"I'm just…wondering about everything that was said…and about the Magical Melody…" she said softly, her eyes having a somewhat far away look to them as they gazed back at him. " I've even tried finding information on it…but…there's nothing much besides the legend, and it doesn't give much detail."

"I've been thinking about that a lot too recently and its just been very confusing, with Jamie and the Harvest Lord…the Goddess being turned to stone…what is the magical melody, and how do we find it?"

Maria nodded, her eyes focusing on Ray's face. "The Magical Melody…according to Legend it is a song created by the Harvest lord and Goddess to purify this land if ever the need arose, and supposedly has the power to cure everything in this world…"

"Something that powerful…how are you supposed to find it…how can you find a melody…" Ray looked back out at the ocean, his rod moving onto his lap.

"Notes…"

"That's what the Harvest Lord said…but how do you find…notes?"

She also turned to look out at the ocean, the wind had started to pick up a little bit around them and it had moved the hair out of her face.

"From what the Harvest Lord said…and what the legends also say, the notes are supposed to come to those who work hard and accomplish the basic goals of life, though each is different depending on the person, each note is related to a different instrument even if in the end it makes the same song.:"

"We can help then…still I don't know how…"

"Hm…I'm sure it will come in time; and maybe we could ask Jamie about is as well, I'm sure he would be able to at least give us some answers." Maria shuffled a bit closer to Ray, so that their shoulders were touching.

"Yea! We'll go talk to him and get this thing sorted out and maybe we can even work together to help the Goddess, Three are always better then one after all, and Jamie does seem to want to help the Goddess." Ray replied with conviction, a determination in his voice. "So I'm sure it will all work out."

"Your right Ray, because we all at least owe the Goddess that much, for even if the rest of the world falls into the Darkness, if some stay in the light at least there is still hope for those others to be saved…"

The two had spent several hours on the island, only leaving a little while after dusk had began and the first colorful rays had decorated the sky. The two had then quickly finished up what they were doing and rode back on the dolphin.

Cheerfully, the two walked past the many buildings on the way back to the Library, chatting in their wake, smiling and laughing as if they were both oblivious to everything around them. The two finally headed up the last few steps of the library, both smiling even though the end of the day had come, for in a way it had been more fulfilling then most, perhaps because of the company or relaxed air to it, either way they had both enjoyed it.

Stopping in front of the door, the two turned towards the other, Ray smiling sheepishly, as Maria held her hand to her chest, a happy look on her face.

"Thank you Ray for…everything, today was very nice and I enjoyed it. It certainly got my mind off a few things."

"Just glad to help…and it was fun anyways! Not to mention I got to teach you something for a change."

"Yes, I've been curious about it for awhile actually, for I really did appreciate the lesson."

"Well…whenever you feel like going fishing again…or just coming to the island don't be afraid to just take Skip whenever you want, I'm always at the island and I'm sure Skip wouldn't mind." A truthful and hopeful tone was in his voice as he looked down at her.

"I'd like that…it was actual a lot of fun." Maria took a step toward him, a teasing expression on her face.

"I-I-I'm g-glad then…I guess I better go though, its going to be night soon and I guess you have to um…'close up' the library huh?" he said looking flustered as he tried to take a step back.

"Just so nobody notices, though I highly doubt anyone would anyways…"

"Y-Yeah…" Ray gulped, a hand going to scratch the back of his head again. "So uh….I'll see you later then?"

Maria nodded and feeling a little daring, which was very unlike Maria, she took a step forward and leaning up, placing a chaste kiss on his lips. Slowly she pulled away, a bright blush on her cheeks as she nodded again.

"Certainly…and thanks again Ray...really…" and with that she quickly opened up the door to the library and scurried inside, leaving a dazed Ray out in front of the library.

Dazed, Ray wobbled down the steps, a bright red on his cheeks as he stumbled down the street, walking almost as if he was drunk at best from just a simple touch. Stopping in front of the square, he placed a finger on his lips, a yell of joy and unbound happiness escaped his lips, before he ran off.

On the corner of the street opposite, unseen by either of the two, was a stock still Ann, shock written across her face as the invention she had held in her hands dropped to the ground out of surprise from the exchange. A few seconds passed, as she tried to figure out what had just happened in front of her, and then she dashed off, obviously headed for the bar to spread the news amongst her friends. Something big was going on and both groups of friends were going to be damned if they didn't do something to meddle in it.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Hiya everyone! Yes, I know it's been awhile since I've written and I apologize for such, just with the last minute things at school and other things to attend to during the weekends and the fact that my internet has been down so I haven't been able to get around to anything, so once again I apologize for the wait. Hopefully the chapter will make up for it. Though mostly this one is more thought process, including a bit of the friends, it has quite a few big revelations, and a few interesting things. So without further ado, on with the chapter! I hope you like the chapter!

Disclaimer: Harvest Moon is owned by Marvelous Inc.

"_Why?" The young boy thought to himself as he looked at the girl as she slowly walked away from him, looking over her shoulder and sticking her tongue out at him, a sly look in her eyes and a coy expression on her face as she walked away from him._

"_Must it always be so confusing; must love really be this difficult?" The silver haired youth placed a hand to his lips, thinking of several moments ago when then soft skin of another had been upon it. "Must we always avoid our feelings, jump around them, only to let them come out in confusing ways?"_

"_Even if we've known each other so long, you still confuse me, my love, but I still wonder why it is you do these things, tease and humor me…it is these things that send me spinning…" His eyes drifted shut, as he tried to sort his thoughts._

_A smile finally grazed the youth's face, as his hand fell to his side and he followed the path which the purple haired girl had walked down just moments before, a solution in mind for his final question._

"_How do I tell you I love you when I cannot fully understand how I feel?"_

_I wake up from a dream_

_Mind groggy, filled with thoughts of love_

_Flowing like a stream_

_She is all I can think of_

_Still I am confused_

_A kiss from her can't be refused_

Sleepy eyes opened to a dark, autumn sky as water trickled but feet away. The brown haired youth continued to stare at the sky, his mind a haze as the final words of his dream began to drift away.

"_-When I cannot explain how I feel…man now my dreams are even talking about it." _The youth thought to himself as he sat up slowly, stretching his arms over his head before placing them behind him for support. "_This is just confusing."_

Grabbing his belongings he stood, looking from side to side to get his bearings. The sky had finally turned completely black, stars twinkling on its surface as if to guide the way for weary travelers. He was surprised he had fallen asleep at such a time, for he was used to staying up until midnight and then some; then again he had had a lot on his mind at the time.

Ray didn't bother looking around him as he walked onto the path, his destination set for the Moonlight Bar.

"_Maybe I'm just looking into this too much…I mean sure…she kissed me…she kissed me…" _His thoughts strayed back to the feeling of her lips on his and a dark red crept onto his cheeks. "_Argh, a kiss can never be just a kiss can it?! Why can't I just enjoy that she actually did kiss me, instead of looking into it? I would never have done this before…"_

He juggled the rod in his hands, his feet continuing to bring him towards the bar, as silence filled the space around him. _Wait…I would have never done this before? Since when have I ever felt like this?! _Ray groaned in frustration. Looking up into the starry night sky, he searched out the moon, acting as if the man there could solve all his problems. _Yeah, sure I've had crushes on girls before…but I've never been really in "love" with someone before…then again, how do I know this is love anyway?_

Setting his eyes back on the path in front of him, he continued on his way. The subtle smell of grapes and wine soon reached his nostrils as the familiar lights of the bar came into view. Swinging open the door, his eyes looked on straight ahead, the scene that occurred just a day before flashing before him for over the millionth time that day. Taking a seat at the bar; his equipment quickly put off to the side, the dream once more entered his mind. _He was confused too…he knew he was in love with her, yet…he was confused…she had done the same thing as Maria. She kissed him, without any warnings whatsoever she had just gone up and kissed him. He had said they had been avoiding their feelings, dodging and beating around them…in a way that's what I'm doing isn't it? _

Voices and noises filled the air around him, whether loud or soft, all went unnoticed as he took the drink offered to him by Duke and began gulping it down, finding comfort in the interruption of his thoughts.

_This may have started out as a crush maybe, but could it be love already? We know each other but not as well as we could…but…it doesn't feel much like a crush either. It doesn't feel superficial, not like all the crushes I had in High School. I mean, ok I hardly ever talked to her before that night by the river, but I still knew who she was, heck you could even say I grew up with her! She just wasn't in my immediate friends…or anywhere close to being a friend. She was more like a…like a…uh…ok, she was just someone I didn't get along with, never talked to and didn't like…_

Scruffy hair met wood, as Ray slammed his head on the counter, groaning audible in his wake, receiving several odd looks from some of the other cliental who were sitting at the bar. Looking up from the table, he fingered the mug in front of him, looking at his reflection in the glass.

_Ok, come on Ray, like Maria says, focus and organize your thoughts…or just think more about Maria that will obviously help. Ughhhhh why does love have to be so confusing, if it is love in the first place! Ok, ok, if I look at the reaction I had to her kissing me, mixed with what happened during the moon festival, how I feel as if I've been her friend for much longer then I have been and the fact that I keep saying that I'm in love with her…I think it IS love. I'm not just interested or have a crush; I'm in _love _with Maria…a woman completely opposite to everything I stand for. _

Laughing, Ray ordered another drink, before a smile spread across his face.

_I'm in love with my opposite and my teacher…I never saw this coming. I guess those cheesy romance novels my Mom used to read were true, you fall in love with someone completely unexpected, who in some cases is your complete opposite. Opposites Attract…_

_and the opposite of this competitive fisherman just happens to be the proper, mayor's daughter Maria._

A content smile on his face, he waved to Eve, ordering another drink, he leaned back on his stool. He had finally come to a conclusion about all of this; everything had finally fallen into place, though at the very beginning he had doubted it would. A warmth spread through him and his heart quickened its pace as he thought of his love and he felt happier then before, because he knew for a crush to turn into love is a rare, yet a beautiful thing indeed.

If Ray had not been left feeling so whole and content over his realization about his love for Maria, then he could have perhaps noticed a certain group of people, who he had passed very quickly upon his entrance into the bar. The group of seven people was huddled at a small table in the corner of the room speaking in hushed tones over a certain event that had occurred just the day before. As he entered the bar, all their eyes had darted towards him, the peculiar action catching the attention of a certain blond that happened to be sitting at the bar.

Standing up, she walked up to the group, slowly picking out the people who were sitting around the table. A certain red bandana wearing, dark skinned womanizer in particular whose words she strained to hear.

"Maybe two or three hours before I was filling Katie in on how Ray and Maria have both been missing on certain days the past couple of weeks and how we all thought the two were going out, but this just makes it official." A curly haired girl nodded vigorously to confirm what he said, it was then that Gwen decided to but into the conversation.

"Maria and Ray are going out huh? And how did your women filled mind come to that crazy conclusion Dan?"

Dan looked up at her, giving her a cocky grin as he looked at the others, who nodded in agreement and he looked back at Gwen.

"I think you'll need to sit down for this Gwen, this news is pretty big." Ellen pulled up a chair to the side of table, before quickly taking her seat beside Blue once more; Gwen sat down slowly, finding the situation almost laughable at how her friends' faces seemed so serious. "Ok, Ann tell her."

Ann nodded, turning her head towards Gwen from her seat beside Kurt at the other end of the table. "Ok so you know how Maria and Ray haven't been around a lot on Fridays and during the weekends of the past few weeks?"

Gwen looked up in thought, she remembered that Maria hadn't been around for quite a few of their get-togethers at the Inn and bar during the past few weeks, but she had contributed that to her being into a good book. She could disappear for weeks on end and not make contact with anyone if she was really into it. She had still talked to them every once in awhile during the week though and she didn't seem to be any different, certainly not love struck anyway. Ray on the other hand she usually saw at the bar at night and at the Inn during the day to eat lunch, sure he appeared less often but that could be because it was the prime fishing season right? Then again, when either of them came on Friday or Saturday for breakfast or lunch at the Inn, or just to talk, they both seemed almost impatient as if they had something very important they had to attend to.

Looking back at Ann she nodded, deciding to give up to her curiosity.

"Neither have really talked to us a lot during the past few weeks, and were barely seen by anyone, except for early in the morning, when they left their respective residences but for the rest of the day they disappeared."

That's when Dan spoke up, interrupting Ann's train of thought. "When I found this out from Blue through Ellen, I decided to look into it a little and found out that Ray had been spending his last few weeks at the Library with Maria on Fridays and Saturdays." He grinned to himself, placing a hand under his chin. "No one's bothered them once either, so who knows what they've been up to in there."

"They were even seen together during the Moon Festival! And they were sitting together during the fireworks festival and were even spotted on their way to the docks, which we all know is the number one make-out point in the village." This time Katie spoke up trying to put her own two cents in.

"And didn't Ray leave that day at the bar to go after Maria when she ran out?" said Joe enthusiastically, trying to participate in the conversation, Ellen, Blue and Kurt nodding their assent.

"AHEM, as I was saying, so we had come to the conclusion that the two were seeing each other, we weren't sure whether it was because they were dating or for other reasons but what Ann saw today definitely confirms it." The conversation was then drawn back into Dan's court as he quickly hit it across to Ann.

In this multi-player tennis match of a conversation, Gwen grinned, trying to hold back laughter as she saw the serious interest on their faces. They had certainly thought this through and done a lot of research into it, _but_, she thought_, did it ever cross their minds that maybe they were looking a bit too much into this? I mean Katie and Dan I can understand, it's in their nature, maybe even Joe…but Ellen, Ann, Blue and Kurt? They never seemed the types…_

Nodding to signal for Ann to continue, she settled back in her chair, not expecting to hear anything serious or meaningful come from the girl as she casually snatched Katie's drink and took a gulp.

Leaning forward conspiratorially, Ann , about to say the thing that she had repeated time and time again that night, she began her tale. "So I was walking down the path across from the library to deliver a seed maker to Nina and Liz, make by yours truly, when out of the corner of my eye I saw Maria and Ray standing in front of the library, smiling and looking into each others eyes." She took in a breath of air, as Gwen took another sip of Katie's drink, receiving a glare from the girl whom she had stolen from.

"So I stopped, and was planning on walking over to them and ask what they were up to or continue on my way to give them some privacy, considering it looked like they were saying goodbye when I saw Maria say something and then…" she stopped, giving a dramatic pause to her tale, showing that it had become almost recitation to her, Gwen decided to show her interest in the situation by again taking a long sip of Katie drink. "She leaned up and kissed him! And it wasn't on the cheek either; it was full lip on lip action."

Ok, she had not expected THAT. She spit out the drink in her mouth in its entirety, the sound echoing around the bar as many of its occupants turned the stare at them. Giving a sheepish grin in response to them, she turned back an urgent and conspiratorial sound in her voice.

"Maria, Lip on Lip action? Are you sure you saw right? I mean come on I know she reads books and obviously knows a lot about romance and that sort of thing but I never thought she could actually do it…"

"Well you never know with these girls Gwen, they may be quiet and proper on the outside, but oh boy when those girls get passionate they can be more forceful th-"

"Tooooooo much information there pretty boy, but thank you for the mental image of Maria as a dominatrix."

Kurt finally thought it was time to speak up and looked over at Ann. "Are you sure she wasn't kissing his cheek? I mean from the distance you could have been mistaken right?"

"Well for one she was facing the center and two I highly doubt kissing him on the cheek would result in Ray walking away as if he was a drunk…"

Cutting her Dan glaring time short, she laughed as the image of Ray walking off in a drunken stupor filled her mind. "Then again with Ray I think if a girl even touched his cheek he would react like that, you know how he is around girls. I'm surprised; his brain didn't self-implode from Maria kissing him."

Kurt and Blue chuckled in response, with Katie, Joe and Dan nodding in agreement. Soon however the conversation was put back into full swing as Ellen voiced her thoughts.

"It could be true because Maria was acting weird that time when we were celebrating the bar's opening but she isn't the type to just kiss a guy she barely knows…what do you think about all this Gwen?"

She leaned on her palm in thought, struggling to come to a conclusion as everyone at the table looked at her. Gwen had to admit, the kissing thing made sense if you looked at the how the two had been acting lately and where they had been seen. It just seemed logical that they were dating, though the when and how still needed to be filled it, but for the time being, the what was all that mattered.

A grin spread across her face as her eyes spread across the table looking at her fellow conspirators. "I say it's definitely possible, really it's the only thing that makes sense. If they weren't going out then Maria wouldn't have kissed him, _point finale_, she's definitely not the type to kiss someone randomly and run."

"It's settled then!" A spark entered Katie's eyes causing an unsettling feeling to enter Gwen's stomach. "We need to get this on the gossip network and tell the others, this is big news! It's not everyday that our little Maria falls in love with a guy and Mr. Competitive Fishermen gets over his shyness to get to know a girl so everyone has to know, we can't leave one house left behind, one person not talked to! We have to get this juicy piece out!"

Though the others looked uncertain, they nodded, a murmur quickly starting between them as they discussed plans of spreading the word or trying to reveal Maria and Ray's relationship to the public with the two knowing about it. Gwen giggled to herself, wondering just what exactly she had gotten herself into as she too began to talk about plans.

Maria tried to focus on the book in her lap as she leaned against the back of her bed, but more often then not her eyes would become unfocused and she would find herself thinking about a certain brown hair, blue eyed boy. Sighing, she placed the book on the bed, as she turned to look out of the window of the room, her eyes dark in thought.

_Why did I do that? I'm certainly not one to jump into things, let alone confuse or furthermore complicate things. So why in the name of the Goddess, did I kiss him? Not just that, I kissed him and then ran…what was I thinking? I mean sure he is a friend whom I've made recently, that I just so happened to have a crush on...not to mention he's my student…which in a way makes things even more wrong and uncomfortable. Ughhhhh, oh Maria what have you done?_

Groaning loudly, the passing Mayor who was carrying a late-night snack to his room placed the food on a table in the hallway and peered into his daughter's room worriedly. Seeing her looking out the window forlornly at the dark sky outside, he knocked on the door lightly, not wanting to abruptly interrupt her thoughts.

"Hm?" Maria turned only to see Theodore standing in the doorway, a worried look on his face, causing her to start. "Oh father! Sorry, I was just thinking about something…did you need anything?"

"No Maria…I was just wondering if something was wrong, you look very worried…"

The blue haired girl smiled, touched by how her father cared about her well being. "As I said, I was only thinking about something, but it's not something to trouble yourself with Father."

Theodore smiled, unsure whether to pry or not as his fatherly instinct wavered between helping and giving her space.

"Well, I won't ask, but from how you looked, it was probably pretty complicated." He smiled at her, turning to leave the room. "Just don't forget Maria, sometimes the most complicated things have the simplest of answers."

Not knowing the impact of his words, he left the room, his hand picking up the plate of food as he continued on his way, leaving a once again thoughtful Maria behind. Her father's words had certainly had an effect, more of one then he had realized.

_The simplest answer? This thing is much too complicated to have a simple answer. I mean, I kissed him, I _kissed _him, he didn't start it, I didn't hint at anything, and then I just kissed him out of the blue for no apparent reason whatsoever! It's so very…illogical! I've known him my entirely life, given that I never really spoke that often to him or his friends, I still knew them and knew how they acted. We weren't friends until recently however, not real friends anyway, acquaintances…though that seems a bit light considering I did know quite a bit about him, but until recently I had only known him from school and from having grown up with him and the others. _

She sighed, fidgeting and changing positions on the bed, trying to get comfortable before returning to her thoughts.

_I've even said before that we were complete opposites, in personality, characteristics and profession. We're nothing alike, yet…somehow we get along…I find things amusing around him and for some reason I do things that I would never do around others…that little skit I did to cover Ray and I in front of Jamie and following him being the few. I know, I know, for quite sometime now I've had a crush on him, true, though it began from seeing him so often by the Library and hearing him talk with friends and in our groups that I took a liking to his personality…oh what am I saying, I was most likely attracted to his looks at first, I can't say he isn't ruggedly handsome…_

A blush crossed Maria's features an almost inaudible cry escaping her as the thought passed through her mind.

_Ruggedly handsome! Maria what are you thinking!? Sure, it is a logical explanation which is also scientifically, but to go that far and say it…_

A silence replaced the interior monologue as she once again gazed out the window at the night sky, its stars twinkling so far away in the distance as they framed the crescent moon, not nearing in beauty to the one she had seen during the moon festival.

_Perhaps could it have been…not only his looks, and seeing him so often but…his personality and characteristics? Could the fact that they are so different from my own…have attracted me to him? The Opposites attract theory? It would make sense, for even in appearance he is my opposite._

She giggled to herself, trying to lower the noise they would make so as not to disturb her father.

_At the very least, at first I was perhaps attracted because he was my opposite…and because of that I had a crush on him. Yet, now I feel as if it goes beyond that. I've gotten to know him, teaching him, going out into the field and just…having fun and getting to really know him. _

A smile crossed her features at the turn her thoughts took next, her half expecting yet not expecting it.

_He makes me feel more secure then I've ever felt before…in ways he makes me feel so much more then I ever have before, and yes, I know it sounds horribly clichéd but, in ways he makes me feel complete and content with just being with him. The thing I look forward to most is teaching him and getting to see him during the week, the other days beside those two sometimes seem dull even if I'm with my friends. _

_The two of us know things that no one else on this earth knows besides perhaps Jamie and the Goddess herself. We've spent a few festivals and many days together, and have gotten to know each other a lot during the past few weeks…_

_He really does mean a lot to me, more then many have in the past, and he makes me experience things which I never have…could this feeling that I have, this feeling which I've read and heard about so much before be…love? Could this small crush which caused me to really get to know him have turned into love? Am I in love with…Ray?_

Though the thought was new and realization sudden, in her heart it registered her feelings for Ray as true. With a content sigh, she closed the lamp on her bedside table; feeling tired from the thought process as she climbed into her bed and snuggled into the covers.

_How could I never have seen it before…I love and care for Ray…I'm in love with my student, my friend and my opposite._

Closing her eyes, a warmth, like a security blanket surrounded her, as her thoughts drifted into the land of dream, where her dreams would include a certain brown haired youth and where her love would be known and accepted with an ending much like a fairytale, as they lived happily ever after…though of course she knew things could never be that simple.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Ahhhh, at last! After 6 months of grumbling, and toiling over this chapter it is done! I'm sorry for the immensely long wait! In between school, lack of time, computer fixing, lack of inspiration, laziness and the inability to rewrite, the chapter has been coming along very slowly, but it had finally come! The chapter you have all been waiting for!

Ok…well not in terms of confession wise but you get the idea. I hope it's interesting and that the characters are not immensely out of character, after having to rewrite it several times it was very difficult to get into the mindset, so hopefully all will be well otherwise.

Thank you to all whom have reviewed, they've really helped me get through the lull in writing and got me to continue this fanfic. They were truly inspiring and I thank you all for that. Well…I suppose that's all I have to say! I hope you all enjoy the chapter and that the ending will not end in some of you hating me for what I have done…now on with the fic!

_A past experience_

_Like light footprints in the snow_

_An aching absence_

_Telling a tale of woe_

_As time simply passes on_

A stream of moonlight shone through the window of the bedroom, illuminating a lone figure on the bed. The air surrounding the area was solemn, silent besides the soft sobbing of the girl sitting up against the headboard, her legs wrapped haphazardly in blankets. Turning towards the soft light, a strand of hair fell across their face, which shone a light blue in the soft light of the moon. A strong breeze blew the falling snow past the window stirring a memory and thoughts that to the person were certainly not new, but painful regardless of how many times she had thought of it in the past.

Paramedics have recently rushed Mayor Theodore's wife to Blossom Hospital's emergency care unit, for the time being, little is known as to the cause of the emergency, however we will keep you informed of her condition as the night progresses…

To the news reporters she was simply one of the important figures in the village, an icon to be used and manipulated to their own desires and well being. They watched her every move, waiting for her to fall from grace in one manner or other so they had a story, something that they could twist so that others would believe, so that others would listen. Power, it was always a struggle between the media and my father, him trying to protect his family from the limelight while they tried to fight for it. They pursued they're foolish dreams, caring only for the outside story, only for the 'scoop.' They never asked about the individual; their opinions, feeling or emotions, they never truly cared for the person themselves. All they saw was an opportunity, something that could benefit them in some way, thus she was referred to as if she were an object, a toy, a possession! They saw not the brave soul, the kind heart or the bright smile, they simply recognized her as the Mayor's wife, something that belonged to him and could be managed like a puppet. So low an opinion did they have of her that they expected her to no longer be married to Father in but a few short years, thus those first steps she took surprised them more then anyone.

We have just received news about Flowerbud village's own first wife. Reports say Theresa was rushed to hospital after collapsing in her kitchen sometime earlier in the day before being rushed to the hospital. It had been rumored for several years that she been suffering from a car…

Contrary to all their beliefs, she managed and helped the town greatly. Befriending the villagers, organizing events and festivals, teaching at the local school, and even go so far as to participate or help local competitions even if she wasn't feeling well. The villagers adored her: many of the adults being her friends; the children, her pupils, adored and loved spending time with her and the older citizens always looked out for her, respecting and standing up for decisions and her good name whenever the need arose. She had grown up here, she knew the people and her chances when she married him and became a part of the Larine line. She had never expected to have to deal with such a responsibility, coming from a rich rancher's family, where her main task was not to deal with the affairs of the town but instead manage the affairs of her family's business.

_Theresa Larine, age 34 died of heart failure late yesterday evening, after surgeons attempted to perform a heart transplant; remaining in surgery for hours as they replaced the heart and tried to revive her. Her weak heart, worn from years of stress and strain along with a hereditary heart condition, caused it to go into Cardiovascular arrest without warning whatsoever. We were told that for year's doctors…_

Regardless, she stood up to the occasion, a determined and passionate soul, willing to go against all odds to prove her worth as the Mayor's wife and how she would aid the town despite her health. To those in the villages, she was looked up to, admired and considered invincible, unstoppable, at times even the true heart of the village. No one ever saw her weak spells however; no one noticed the fact that she was pushing herself, more and more so everyday towards an edge, which could not be avoided. They knew not of her health condition, for it was hidden from the inhabitants of the village since her birth, they knew not her pain, they knew not her suffering, not as I did, to they she was the center, the true heart of the village and even though it weakened her significantly, she tried her best to live up to those opinions which the other villagers had.

_It is believed that she suffered little after having fallen unconscious, as her systems shut down and her heart stopped beating, though it is thought perhaps that her death was a result of not only her heart failing but a heart attack that occurred subsequently beforehand that caused the failure. Upon her death on Tuesday she left behind her husband, Mayor Theodore and a 12-year-old daughter…_

To myself she was more then that, a woman who was not meant to be judged by her actions, but her ideals and not only a person who would be respected or revered, but unconditionally loved and considered unable to do no wrong. To me she was a strong, yes, but not invincible; she showed weakness, vulnerability, uncertainty, insecurity freely, in a place where she knew no one could criticize her for it. She was a woman I adored, loved, cherished and loved to spend time with. She was my mentor, ever patient and willing to explain about the world of and around Flowerbud. She was my caretaker, for when I was sick, sad or injured she nursed me back to health or made me smile through my tears. She was my friend, one whom I could talk with and spend time with for hours on end without ever having to say goodbye. Though most importantly, she was my mother, a woman who I loved and who had loved me unconditionally since the moment I was born. Even if others believed me worthless and uninteresting, she still believed in me, despite things my teachers may have said about my character or my unnaturally high grades, she still wanted to teach me and no matter how many times others said cruel things or how difficult it was to make friends, she still loved me. I'm her daughter and she my mother, and regardless of what was to come we were to stick together, help one another and believe in what the other was doing. It was never supposed to end the way it did…it wasn't supposed to end that day…

_Theresa Annie Larine died on Tuesday Winter 3__rd__, as the snow softly feel to the earthen ground which welcomed it and beckoned it to rest, just as it offers her a place of rest now. Held in high esteem by the people of Flowerbud, it's surrounding villages and the Goddess, she is now among the blessed, those who have been accepted by the Goddess and thus allowed to become one with nature. Let us pray for her happiness in the afterlife and for her family that is still among the living. For this journey will be much more difficult then anything they have faced previously…_

It had happened on a snowy day in early winter, the white, cold puffs being playfully pushed around by the wind before landing in tufts on the ground. She had been standing right beside me, _right beside me_, trying her best to act normal when at best she was suffering from the strain of all the work she had had to do throughout the day. If only I had noticed, tried to help her in some way or even insist that she rest, however my naivety prevailed. If only I had noticed or even stayed behind after lunch, then maybe she wouldn't have been rushed to the hospital, perhaps she would have never collapsed…perhaps I would still have my mother and the village wouldn't be as it is now…

_Let Theresa be remembered in mind and heart, for people never truly leave the living unless they are forgotten._

It is odd how easily people forget, only remembering those who have passed on when the pain is fresh and sudden; where they spend much time reminiscing, honoring and missing that person who has left the living, yet as soon as time passes, and that pain begins to fade, their thoughts straying less and less in regards to the deceased, the conversations and memories shared regarding the departed stop and all thoughts of honor and past feelings seem to fade, as present life takes hold. At first people often visited the grave of my mother, leaving flowers, telling stories or weeping, but as time passed, this occurred less and less. Thus year after year, fewer and fewer people came to honor the anniversary of her death, until none remained, not even my own father, who had more important 'duties' to attend to then remember the life of his wife. What happened to the friendship you shared, the sense of kinship you held, your pain! For I, the pain has never left, though never always touched upon, it always returns around this period of time, as a dull ache ever present and pounding alongside my heart. I will never let her memory die, even if it means having to speak of her to my children and have them retell it to me in my old age so I do not forget, for she is my mother and despite the amount of time that has passed or will pass, she always will be and living without her is a pain that I wish upon no other soul…so if it becomes so bad that I must scale the side of the mountain to her grave, so as to mourn and think of her alone, then so be it, I cannot let her fade into the past, into distant memory, into nothingness…I cannot…I cannot…_I cannot…_

_…For people are never truly dead unless they are forgotten…_

A lone tear fell from the person's face, shining in the moonlight before landing on a book held in its hands. As the moon sank below the horizon and the sun began to rise, strong sunlight filtered into the room, showing the features of a young woman with tearstained cheeks, holding a leather-bound book in her hands. Caressing the cover of the book lovingly, she traced the familiar, worn, engraved words on the cover, 'For Theresa.'

Clutching the book tightly to her chest, another tear made it's way swiftly down her cheek and a pained sob escaped Maria's shaking lips, reopening a dam that had been broken numerous of times before and yet never seemed to run out of tears.

-----

Ray's brown ponytail bounced lightly in the chilly morning breeze and as the sun rose he squinted upward towards the top of the mountain, waiting for it to conquer the tall mountains and signal the end of his fishing routine. He placed gloved hand against his forehead; added protection against the sun's powerful rays for his still darkness accustomed eyes. His other hand, covered by another wool mitten of the same sort, held his fishing rod stiffly against his shoulder, he not wanting to bend or mangle any of the parts essentially needed. Soon after however, he found that his inactive state left his body much to vulnerable to the cold and smoothing his hands over his winter jacket, as well as readjusting his grip on his fishing equipment, he started off towards his destination once more.

. Thus winter had fallen upon the quiet mountain village, covering nearly all in Flowerbud with a light layer of snow. Layers of soft snow had made itself ever present on the pathways, making the villagers ever stressed with the task of removing it and depositing it in manageable amounts into other areas. Winter arrangements had been going on for weeks beforehand, villagers scrabbling to finish important outdoor projects before the cold winter settled and all was blanketed in a familiar pure white glow. Few strayed from their homes at this time, only doing so when truly in need of something or to attend a social event. Thus the roads in the early morning were silent, truly tranquil in the dawn's light as the wind rustled barren trees and only the sound of one's footsteps upon snow could be heard for a ways around.

Ray had finished most of his daily routine, having woken up earlier that day from hearing the sound of window shutters batting against the sides of the building. In all honesty, he was glad his day was going to finish earlier then usual, for then he could return to a subject that was common for him to think of these past few days. Since the incident, over a week had passed, the two unable to meet on their scheduled days because of sudden outings with friends and duties that they had to fulfill. As a result, the beginning of the season had begun roughly, the two brushing past each other with averted eyes when it public and meaningful, yet quick glances when alone.

"_Ever since that day weird things have been happening…well not entirely weird but just kinda sudden." _Ray thought to himself as he walked in the direction of the Junk shop. _"The guys have been hanging around me a bit too often, telling me what the girls have been up to and forcing me to go to the bar with them whenever I'm free. That and the fact that the girls have been giving me strange looks recently…like they're trying to sum me up or something…"_

Ray's thought's raced as he tried to gather what exactly his friends were planning, the corner turned and gone unnoticed as his feet automatically brought him towards Callaway Café, which, though open, would not be bustling with activity until later that day. The brown haired youth had been making several trips there for the past few days, buying food or drink before continuing on with his day.

No proper conclusion coming to mind, Ray sighed to himself, his gaze directed skyward as he tried to clear his thoughts. He saw the large amount of snowflakes fall to earth, the whit nimbus clouds above creating a more serene effect as the sun's light began to fill the entire sky. Farther off in the distance, dark ominous cloud formations caught his attention, his knowledge of weather patterns from years of fishing coming to mind as he instinctively tried to determine where exactly the clouds were headed. Stopping so he may fully face them, Ray's brow creased in thought as he squinted trying to get a better look.

"It looks like a storm's coming, one that will be staying for awhile from what those clouds look like too." Concluding at last that most likely the news would be forecasting it in a few hours, regardless of his deductions, Ray turned and continued on his way, rounding the final corner before quickly entering the café.

With Katie against the counter and Carl washing dishes, the atmosphere of the café, though filled with warmth and the smell of sweets, was also filled with an almost suffocating silence, the boredom emitting from Katie on this particularly inactive morning unable to be stifled by the usual cozy air of the coffee shop.

The curly haired waitress had been unable to concentrate on most tasks this morning, her earlier thoughts filled with plans to uncover the feelings of a particular blue haired librarian. So focused was she that her inattentiveness had resulted in four broken cups, two dirty plates and deflated soufflé, putting her off to the side frustrated and Carl left to clean up the mess she had started. Thus by the end of the disastrous early morning shift, she was no longer able to focus on plans to unveil the mysterious relationship that surrounded her dear friend and the local fish expert and so instead left to find a way to rid herself of the terrible boredom that often accompanied the inability to think.

Regularly she knew some form of relief in the form of conversation or errand running would distract her from such things, giving her little time to think as she attended to others, however because of the season and the early hour she knew not a soul would be coming for quite some time; preferring to finish all errands before the true chill and cold settled in. So she leaned against the counter, head held in hands as she prayed for time to pass by more swiftly. The sound of the doorbells catching her by surprise as she turned to regard the newcomer; even Carl, who was used to all kinds of customers turned in mild shock towards the door, curious to see who would actually come in before the lunch crowd during the winter.

The sight of Ray taking off his woolen mittens however caused different reactions from the two Callaway staff; Carl seemed to shove the plates off to the side, not entirely caring whether or not they were clean as long as they could not be seen, while Katie pushed herself away from the counter, a rather mischievous grin on her face as she took a step toward him.

"So what brings the villages resident fish expert to a café? I thought you didn't like what we served here…" Ray's head turned sharply, a light blush on his cheeks and an uncomfortable look in his eyes as he played with his mittens. "Maybe you came for some love advice…hmm?"

More blood rushing to his cheeks, along with the shuffling of his feet only caused her grin to widen as she placed her elbows on the table once more, a bored look no longer present.

"Na-Nah; just came for some…uh…tea, f-for the rest of the day. It's pretty chilly out there…especially out by the sea," came Ray's awkward response before looking towards Carl to confirm the order.

"Wait…you want _tea_ to go? I never thought you the type for those delicate tastes Ray…" Raising an eyebrow curiously, an odd look entered Katie's eyes. "Any reason why you changed your policy?"

Carl running off to prepare the tea caused the fisherman to return his attention to the waitress in front of him, "Just a change I guess…I heard it's a lot healthier then Coffee anyways so…I thought I'd give it a try…"

"A try huh…weird because I remember you saying just a few weeks ago that 'coffee's the only drink for a real man,' and that tea was 'way to weak for you to even consider drinking,' kinda sudden change of heart…"

"Well a friend managed to convince me otherwise; made me try some and I ended up liking it." He shrugged, inhaling the sweet smells of the Café deeply in an attempt to settle his thoughts. "They told me about all the chemicals inside of coffee along with the overly addictive qualities so I decided that maybe it was time for a change…"

"Hmm…this friend wouldn't happen to be Maria now would it?" Katie recalled Maria's adoration for the sweet drink, she often coming to the café after the library closed to take some for the walk home. "I heard you've been spending quite a bit of time with her…"

The color of his cheeks turning to a cherry tomato along with his hand scratching the back of his head quickly transformed her mischievous look to a full out Cheshire cat grin. Carl shaking his head and sighing at the actions of his friend and employee went unnoticed as Ray tried to explain himself.

"W-well k-kind of…I mean…no…well s-s-she is the friend but spending time…y-you it-it was just to help m-m-me with something, o-ot-otherwise there's n-nothing going on, between us I mean."

"Aww, don't worry Ray, there's nothing wrong with being friends with Maria, if it makes you feel any better, your secrets safe with me." A final wink from Katie sent Ray into a spluttering, stuttering frenzy, so distracting in fact that he didn't see her cross her fingers as she grabbed a thermos from underneath the display case.

"It's really nothing, y-yo-you see sh-she's just been helping me with s-something lately, its n-not what you think…" Wringing his gloves rather tightly, Ray did his best to avoid Katie's eyes, preferring to look at the glossy surfaces of the table then at the curly haired brunette.

Screwing open the cap of the thermos, Katie continued her taunting, finding some way to finally release her curiosity regarding Ray and Maria's relationship.

"Hm…well I thought you _were_ just friends, unless you were thinking of something else Ray…" A teasing, almost sly tone created a sleek edge to her voice. "Did you mean something along the lines of romance maybe?"

Carl, trying to ignore Katie's lavish attempts at extracting information from Ray, filled the thermos quickly with sweet smelling, honey flavored tea before handing it over to the nervous fisherman. Giving him a grateful smile, Ray opted to try and find a way out of answering by fishing around for some gold pieces. Luckily for him, another figure entered the café several seconds later, his bandana pulled tightly over his hair and a thin leather jacket covering his upper body; the door closing behind him, Katie looked around Ray toward the new arrival, his identity causing a mixed expression to overtake her features. Turning away from Carl after handing him the coins, Ray smiled at his friend.

"Hey Dan, what brings you here this early in the morning, I thought you would be working at the Winery…" Dan nodded his head in greeting, as he removed his coat, not entirely realizing the scene he had walked into.

"Not much work these days, with no fruit or anything, it's pretty quiet, so I decided to drop by to talk to Katie about something." He winked in Katie's direction before walking further into the café.

Finally recovering, Katie ignored the wink Dan had given her, not willing to let the player distract her from her mission. Moving around the counter, she decided that perhaps the best way to get Ray to open up would be through his friend.

"Hey don't you dare move Ray, you still haven't answered my question, and it's very rude to just blow off a lady like that." Turning slightly, she said a quick greeting to Dan, before looking sternly back at Ray.

"Whoa, wait just a minute, what exactly are you questioning my buddy about, is it something I can have any hand in answering?" As Katie had expected, Dan had taken the bait, his curiosity as easily picked as hers.

"Oh, it was just about something regarding Maria; you see Ray thought that I was saying him and Maria were a couple, while I was obviously stating that they were just friends. So I was wondering whether they were or if he considered them as something more then that."

Frozen in place, Ray held the now warm thermos between his shaking hands, knowing that with the terrible, romance seeking duo together, there was almost no chance of him getting away without some talk or other. Looking over at Carl for sympathy, the blond, young looking entrepreneur simply patted him on the shoulder before shrugging and going behind the counter, knowing that he would be unable to divert the two regardless of whether he tried or not.

"Ray and Maria… a couple?" said a bewildered Dan, his eyes regarding Ray curiously as he tried to speak out in his defense.

"It seems that way. They have actually been spending quite a bit of time together, working on something or other." Katie nodded in affirmation, her gaze moving between Dan and Ray to see their reactions.

"N-no, it's not like that I-I…"

"Really? Come on Man, I mean I know you have a problem with talking to girls but that's just an obstacle now, don't you think you could do be-" A rough cough resembling a growl from Katie, stopped him in mid sentence; a shaky cough soon emerging from his own mouth. "I mean, you could do…bigger things later on whether she helps you or not and who knows what her feelings could be…ehehehe."

"It's less the thing that he could do better…" she sent a glare in Dan's direction, silently doing her best to defend her blue haired friend. "But that we still don't know if he likes her…maybe she likes him but he's just playing with her, after all quiet girls were never his type, especially from what I've heard about his high school days, always going after the extravagant and wild types."

The two continued their conversation, acting as if he wasn't even present and hoping that perhaps the taunting would in some way or other trick him into saying something to the contrary. However, the two were so involved in doing such that they didn't notice the blood begin to drain from Ray's face and a scowl began to overtake his features, as he tried to keep from divulging his secret.

"Well those were pretty telling, but then why would he keep this from everyone…unless he wanted to be in and out as soon as possible and break her heart without anyone being the wiser…sneaky…" Dan said, a finger stroking his chin. "Even I couldn't do something that smooth, man those years of teaching musta paid off…"

An angry look entered Ray's eyes; finally finding his voice, it boomed out loudly as he repelled the accusations,

"I would never do that to Maria! We've done way to many things for me to ever want to hurt her! She's my friend; my teacher who taught me things that I would never have expected to even learn in a hundred years, she's made me see things that I would have never even given a second glance to beforehand. We've seen things that no other human beings have seen for the Goddess' sake! If either of you think I would ever hurt her, play with her or trick her into loving me, I would never do that! I'd never force her into anything, I'd never…I'd never…I care too much for her to ever do that!"

The other's startled gazes from his outburst, turns to devilish grins as the meaning of the last sentence sunk in, confirming what they had believed all along. Ray, on the other hand, realizing his mistake, blushed crimson for yet another time that day; unclenching his fists (that had somehow become clenched either during or before his rant) opened the door behind him shakily and thus he ran out of the warm café before either of the romantics could stop him.

Looking at Katie, Dan patted her back as a sign of a job well done, "Well, that wasn't too hard…and his little speech helped confirm a few things too…"

Katie looked up into his eyes as well, another Cheshire grin present on her face. "It was pretty sweet and juicy too…"

"You thinking what I'm thinking Katie?"

"No way is this not going to be all over town by the end of the day."

"My thoughts exactly…"

------

Whilst Ray had been inside the café, Maria had ventured out into the cold; hands clasping the Diary of her departed mother as she trudged through the snow towards the main path on the side of town.

_I have not forgotten mother, I at least have that to assure you with. Regardless of how many years pass or people who do not remember or father refusing to speak of you, I will never forget, I will never stop…_

The rising sun's glow seemed to lessen the fierce chill of the cold winter day as it fell upon the surroundings of Flowerbud village. All the buildings along the main path had been almost completely covered, snow built up on the shingled roofs and windowsills along with the area surrounding them. It looked almost like a winter wonderland, complete with tightly bundled, red-cheeked villagers, lightly wafting flakes and small animals playing in the snow.

Maria was usually cheerful or more insightful on days like these, her mind taking her to places that could never exist on earth, or touched by regular human beings. However, the pain that occupied this particular day never seemed to go away, her sense of loss overwhelming all other emotions which she could feel, leaving her inconsolable. This feeling of despair, only seemed to grow as she passed the entrance to the grounds and stepped onto the solid pathway, the compacted snow under her feet not offering the familiar crunch which seemed to rid her of all thought.

Glancing up and down the road, she tried to settle her thoughts; "It's quite quiet for a Saturday Morning…" Taking a few steps forward, she strained to see if anyone was along any of the paths. With a final move, she returned her focus to that around her, seeing no one nearby. "It seems everyone has stayed home…perhaps they have forgotten after all…"

The sound of hurried footsteps went unnoticed by Maria as a black haired girl with black earmuffs stopped in front of her. Frankly, so caught up in her thoughts was she that she did pay any attention to the girl until she spoke, a mysterious, dreamy drawl filling her ears.

"Now I see, so you must be the one which the cards have been talking about so strongly recently…" Maria looked in surprise to see Dia, along with Kurt who seemed to be running up the path towards them.

"I beg your pardon? What is this about Cards?" Dia's unfamiliar gaze put her on edge, her next question being fairly standard. "As well…who are you exactly?"

Kurt yelling Dia loudly off in the distance seemed to answer Maria's last question as the girl before her quickly grabbed a thin piece of paper from seemingly no where and held it up to her face.

"The _cards_, they speak of all things, past, present, future. It can cover all lessons and experiences, telling a tale that spans over all time itself…" Splitting the piece of paper in half to reveal two rectangular, card shaped pieces; she flipped them around for the blue haired librarian to see. "They often tell the tales of others, and through interpretation by a select few can be shown to the desired person. Your two cards are those of the tower and a reversed Justice symbol…both of the Major Arcana…"

Maria's bewildered and curious face, though ignored by Dia, went largely noticed by Kurt who tried his best to catch Dia's attention so that she wouldn't make the wrong first impression on the Mayor's daughter. Reaching the two, he placed a hand on Dia's forearm, doing his best to explain things quickly to Maria before Dia decided to continue.

"It has to do with Tarot Cards Maria, a fortune telling card game used to determine the participants future." He gasped out quickly in one breath, before pointing to his companion. "And this is Dia, she moved in, along with Gina, when the Sanitarium opened in summer, she's recovering from a serious illness."

Nodding slowly in acknowledgement at Kurt, Maria spoke; "I've done some research on Tarot Cards in the past, particularly for Theology class during school, it is a very interesting pass time, accurate in many ways regarding one's character or future events."

Kurt silently sent a prayer towards the Goddess for having Dia run up to Maria and no one else, for he knew that not many in the village would have truly understood the meaning of the black haired girl's words, and would have most likely considered her perhaps to ill to be walking around the village by herself. The chances of her actually talking to someone whom had previously known about 'the cards' relieved him even more so then the fact that the Mayor's daughter seemed unafraid of the other girl's behavior. Dia however, seemed to ignore all of this, the things said by Kurt and Maria not fazing her in the slightest as she once more took up her explanation on the importance of the two cards.

"The Tower and Reversed Justice are a very rare combination, signaling a great change in one's life, usually through the help of another person or journey that the person takes. From what the card's have said about you, it seems that some great event is going to take place soon, one that involves you and another…and it is through something you share that will help you through it, along with the mission that you will both be sent on afterwards." She looked sternly in the librarian's eyes, wanting her meaning to be clear. "You have been through much hardship in the past, much pain in terms of loss, enemies are uncertain and even friends are becoming hazy, but in your time of need, this friend will help you, regardless of the cost, and all things that were uncertain before will be made certain, and the past will be forgiven and at last put to rest."

Looking away and pondering on her words, Maria tried to make sense of what she had just been told, daring to interpret them in ways that seemed almost too hopeful for her. Suddenly uncomfortable, she bid a quick good-bye to the two before running off along the path leading up toward the mountain, leather bound book still held tightly in hand as her heart beat loudly in her ears and a strange warm overcame her.

"Dia…was that really necessary? I mean…telling Maria that the past will finally be laid to rest and all? She has been having a pretty tough couple of years…and saying it harshly to her or the fact that there will only be hardship for her in the future, isn't exactly the most reassuring thing…"

"She'll have to deal with her mother's death sometime or other, my young apprentice, and whether she likes it or not, she cannot mourn forever. After all, no life is meant to be spent in darkness, regardless of what they have done in the past…"

The phrase startled Kurt, not entirely sure whether he was surprised more by the fact that she knew about the death of Maria's mother or that she had called him her 'young apprentice.' Sighing to himself, he resigned to the fact that he would not always be able to completely understand Dia's perspective in regards to the cards. Walking over to the wooden fence and leaning against it, he was trying to catch his breath after the long run when the sound of snow being crushed quickly reached his ears once more.

"It seems that the second half of the puzzle surrounding's Maria's future has arrived…" said Dia softly, her eyes following the jaunty movements of the fisherman as he attempted to put away the thermos along with carry his fishing gear, yet still walk at such a speed that it was as if he was afraid of the buildings behind him.

Upon succeeding in placing the thermos inside beside his different lures, he noticed the two standing off to the side of the path, his eyes shifting between the two as he slowed to a stop beside them.

"The girl from the fireworks festival…and Kurt? Do they know one another? I never heard him mention her before…" Ray thought to himself, before he noticed Dia giving him a seemingly accusatory look, as if she knew that he hadn't followed through with what she had asked him to do.

Kurt gave a short wave to his friend; "Hey Ray, finishing up your fishing for the day?"

"Yo; pretty much, I'm heading towards the mountain for the final bit before shipping everything for the day," He began to scratch the back of his head in thought. "I kinda feel like I'm forgetting about something that's going to happen today…there isn't some random festival is there?"

The two shaking their heads simultaneously quickly put an end to that theory. Wondering what it was he had forgotten, he looked at the other two curiously, not noticing Dia pocket the cards she had been using earlier into a pocket of her black cloak.

"There isn't a festival…but I do know what you mean when you feel as if you're forgetting something…" Kurt said slowly, crossing his arms and looking up at the sky in thought.

An exasperated sigh from Dia turned their attention back to her; " Men were always meant to be tested in life; trials set in their path to see if they matched up to their Lord and Goddess counterpart. Most times they are not shown the way to prosperity, and in the rare occurrence that they are, oddly enough man falters, striving to understand what is so very simple to begin with. How foolish we are…"

Confused and not entirely understanding, the boys waited for further explanation to come from the girl; Kurt knowing that if further insight was given into her ramblings that a strong lesson lay behind them and Ray just wanting to understand the philosophy by the small speech. However, to both's disappointment, Dia turned on her heel and headed back towards the Sanitarium, stopping only some distance away to give Kurt a piercing look and point to something in his jacket before starting on her way once more, black hair being blown ever so slightly by the winter wind.

"Well…that Dia girl is…um…kinda mysterious to say the least…" Ray said awkwardly, trying his best to find out the meaning of her words beforehand along with not say anything that seemed insulting about the girl to his friend. "Know why she was pointing at you?"

The confused expression on Kurt's face prior had dissolved into one of comprehension as his hand dove into a pocket in the side of his coat, "I think so…the other day I tried one of her divination methods…and found something pretty interesting." Pulling out a card with what looked to be a lady holding a rose, he continued showing the card to Ray all the while. "I asked Dia about it and she said it had to do with you… she said that I should tell you that it was time to act more on your feelings and take calculated risks in regards to a certain girl…"

"Wait you mean…you actually believe in those kind of things?" Raising an eyebrow in astonishment at his friend, the blush on Kurt's neck was all he needed to know. "Well…alright then, I will try to take your advice. Thanks Man…"

"No problem…hope whoever your having trouble confessing too understands your feelings…" Looking off in the direction Dia had disappeared to, he continued. "I better go though, I promised Dia that we'd head over to Jamie's later…see you later Ray."

So just as his female companion had done only moment's prior, Kurt walked off quickly in the direction of the Sanitarium, sending a quick wave back at Ray before disappearing from sight. Turning away from the path before him, Ray's thoughts wandered as he tried to fathom what exactly he had forgotten that was so important. Ever so vaguely he recalled a conversation he had with his father several years past; it had been snowing heavily that day as he and his father sat across from each other in the kitchen of their house; for some reason his father had decided to explain his theory of the life cycle to him, in which upon death things were reborn and the soul continued on as the body nourished the earth. The lecture playing through his mind, Ray began on the path up towards the mountain, yet another question forming in mind, as he struggled to remember why exactly his father had started that conversation in the first place.

The snow covered trees, along with the fresh layer of snow on the ground did not aid in muffling the sound of crunching snow, as small feet treaded across snow that had been left undisturbed since winter had begun. In the air hung a stifling silence, as it seemed as if all stood still and that there was nothing in the surrounding world but the trees, the snow and the light that reflected off them; not even the brook, that flowed but a ways from the little clearing could be heard, as the early morning sun shone on all below its continence.

Not far off from these small feet and pair of inquisitive eyes, was a piece of granite coming straight up from the ground, along with indentations that seemed almost like long winding valleys that seemed to flow together. Little snow sat on the curved edge that defined the end of the upper portion of the slab, regardless of the amount of snow that had fallen the past few days. As the small feet crossed the remaining threshold before stopping in front of piece, dainty fingers reached out to trace the indentations on the grave before mumbling out loud. A single tear slid down the occupants face, their eyes drifting shut as they name written on the tombstone was repeated once more, _Theresa_.

Her dark hair falling in front of her eyes went unnoticed by Maria as more tears helped blur out the grave before her. Going down on her knees, she continued to trace the familiar letters; her crystal tears falling to the snow covered earth below, further disturbing that which was beneath her. As a shaking sob slipped through her lips; she gently placed a crisply cut Blue Mist flower underneath the epitaph and though seen through already tear filled eyes, it caused yet more to escape along with another heart wrenching sob as the young woman continued to cry. The sound echoed through the clearing, stopped by but the tree's at the edge of it, keeping all who traversed the path or worked in the area below none the wiser to the pain which the librarian was experiencing.

Wiping her tears away as best she could, Maria forced her eyes to focus on the writing, her mind slowly processing the words as she tried to compose herself.

_Theresa Annie Larine_

_1960-1994_

_One with a pure heart _

_And truly blessed life_

_At the Goddess' right hand she walks_

_Forever missed by her minstrels here on earth_

_Especially by her husband Theodore and daughter Maria_

Sniffling away and holding back the remainder of her tears, Maria began rising to her feet, her eyes still resting on the haunting words. Unable was she to hear the footsteps off in the distance, along with the subtle humming and click of metallic objects as an unwary fisherman steadily made his way up the hill. Slowly her hands released from the fists she had unknowingly clenched them into, as she struggled to keep face though no one was present.

"Has it truly been 10 years since then?" whispered Maria, her voice barely audible in the snow covered clearing. "It's a marvel how seemingly old wounds which appear to have been forgotten, feel so fresh when you are simply reminded of them."

Silence only greeting her in response, Maria settled on partaking in her usual ritual at this time of year and in doing so, sat against the back of the tombstone, the familiar, worn, leather bound book in hand held ever so gingerly between her hands as her thoughts brought her to years past. It was during this period of contemplation that Ray finally reached the top of the mountain path and set about on the final part of his routine.

Placing his equipment down lightly, Ray experimentally dipped his finger into the frigid river waters, his mind elsewhere as he automatically judged the best place to fish and what bait to use. Repeatedly he mumbled different events under his breath, trying his best to recall what precisely he had forgotten.

"Dia seemed to know what it was though…or at least tried to give off the impression that she knew…" Ray whispered to himself, making the final preparations before casting his fishing rod. "So it has to be something in relation to the town…can't be a festival though, or else me and Kurt would have heard about it…an assembly maybe?"

About to cast, yet doubting himself, Ray placed the rod roughly beside him, it's line tangling without his notice. He knew he wouldn't be able to concentrate if he didn't manage to fully figure out what was supposed to happen today and would most likely end up even more frustrated afterward from lack of knowledge and fish. Running a hand through his hair, he looked over the landscape, unconsciously thinking that if the same thing had occurred to Maria she would have remembered in an instant and then move on to more important things.

"This would be so much easier if I could ask Maria," Groaned an even more exasperated Ray as he finally decided to lie down in the snow, an even bigger problem ever present on his mind. "I've barely even talked to her recently…Goddess knows I want to but just…ughhhh, what are you supposed to say after something like that!"

His mind returning to thoughts that had been plaguing him for several weeks now, Ray grabbed the thermos filled with Tea off the ground, hoping beyond hope, that the sweet liquid inside would help quench his thoughts and maybe even provide some answers. Pouring the sweet liquid into the plastic cap and sipping it quickly brought little release however, as his mind continued to wander. Gulping down the rest of the liquid, some raised lettering on the thermos caught his eye as he went to pour more; bringing the plastic holder up to his eyes, he silently read the brand, bringing a temporary release that he tried to hang on to.

"_Theresa Culinary Accessories_…huh weird…Theresa…wasn't that the name of Maria's Mom?" Taking a sip from his newly refilled cup he concentrated on this line of thought. "She died several years ago huh? What we were…around 10 back then? Nah…had to have been 12…that would make it 10 years since her death then…funny, Maria didn't mention any 10 year memorial for her mom…what time of year did she die again?"

The sudden realization of what he had forgotten and what the day was caused him to spit out all the tea he had sipped but moments before, causing a large spray that quickly cooled and turned to mist in the frigid morning air. Jumping to his feet, he looked around to see if there was a ceremony or procession passing that he had not taken notice of beforehand; seeing none, he decided to head in the direction of where he recalled the Grave being, remembering that it had been one of the few that had actually been put on the mountain-top instead of in the local graveyard a mile away from the village. Not caring about his fishing gear, he scooped up the thermos and screwed the cap back on to it, hoping that it might be some consolation to Maria and Theodore for having forgotten once he arrived.

Running past trees and dodging boulders and stumps rather ungracefully, Ray headed towards a place that he had not seen in years and at times had even forgotten about, located between the summit of Mount Moon and the river, he had rarely ever detoured into the area, needing only to stay by a main body of water to work. Chastising himself for not going into the area more often, the fisherman tore a path through the different areas of the mountain, ignoring his scarf dancing wildly in the wind behind him as if making it there quickly might justify his loss of memory. He did not recall that he was running towards someone who for the past few weeks he had been avoiding, he was oblivious to the fact that though he was running in a rather panicked manner towards a person who had confused him more then anyone else ever had.

Ray's loud footsteps caused Maria's head to turn to look in his direction as he found the clearing, his breathing labored as he stared at her, his free hand finding the side of a trunk and leaning his weight against it. Finally they're eyes making contact; a stifling silence followed, having somewhat of an uneasy and somber quality to it, filling the space between them. Pushing herself up off the ground, Maria's mind momentarily strayed from her previous thoughts, as a light blush crossed her cheeks and she attempted to reason why exactly Ray was standing before her. The afore-mentioned Fisherman on the other hand, had a blush that was anything but light as he scratched the back of his head shyly before seemingly throwing the warm thermos into Maria's vision.

"I-I uh, j-just came for…w-well you k-know…kind of to r-remember her and everything…s-sorry f-f-for not coming sooner…" Taking a weary step forward he continued, ignoring the odd feeling in his gut. "I-I brought some…uh…tea! Yes…tea…t-to…uh…well…help warm you up I guess…"

Offering a small smile, Maria took the heated flask from his hands, along with trying her best to seem calm and collected as she began to speak to him.

"Thank you Ray…it really wasn't necessary…" Her voice was soft in the snow filled clearing, barely reaching the fisherman's ears as he watched her. "So…you actually remembered, I'm grateful that at least someone did…"

"Well I…uh…" Ray looked down, once more ashamed that he had forgotten about such an important occasion. "It is the 10th anniversary…it wouldn't be right if we didn't do something for her…"

Nodding slowly, the librarian took a step over towards the grave once more, watching it sadly as she held the gift between her hands. Not wanting to just stand there, Ray followed suit, standing but a step behind her as he took looked over at something he had not seen in several years. Ignoring the feeling in his stomach at the proximity, he decided to try starting a conversation with her.

"So uh…everyone else is coming later on in the day to pay their respects I guess?"

Maria shook her head slowly, "I doubt it; barely any of the villagers pay homage to the Goddess or their own ancestors, so why might they actually come for the tenth anniversary of a death?"

"We-well, Theresa isn't just some person who we knew about but didn't really know, she was an important part of the village. The adults grew up with her and we all looked up to her…plus no one who actually called themselves her friend could be one while still forgetting how important-" An exhausted, partially exasperated and saddened look from Maria stopped him in mid-sentence, giving her just enough time to speak before he could voice his thoughts once again.

"It's been many years since anyone has come to pay any sort of respect on this day; after the fifth anniversary many began to forget, preferring to spend their time on more trivial affairs on this day rather then remember and commemorate her life." Ray saw her open her mouth to sigh, and then think better of it and continued. "They were her friends in the past, close to her in life and willing to make sure her memory did not die at first and yet…yet over time, they have begun to forget themselves, never letting her name pass their lips at all at times…"

"It could be their way of dealing with it all…the whole town was devastated when it happened…so they might just be trying to avoid opening old wounds…" Cautiously, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "It doesn't mean they've forgotten…"

"Yes…but at the very least they may speak of her, Goddess only knows right after her death they did regardless of how much it hurt at times to bring it up." Maria's eyes closed briefly as a soft wind blew through the clearing, creating a haunting whistle as it deftly danced through the bare branches of the oak trees. "I'm still able to after all…and yet…I still grieve, I still remember…"

"Still regret?" The fisherman asked softly, his awkward feelings towards her forgotten as his eyes gazed intently at the back of her head.

Sighing softly, she decided to avoid the question, "Even my father no longer comes every year…has my mother truly become so unimportant…just another face in the fabric of time that was forgotten simply because it was too painful to think of them…or was she a thing to those people, mourned out of respect yet forgotten because of partial unimportance…" Her fingers wove over the smooth surface of the container; drawing from it's warm as they were touched by the wind.

"You know she was never that to any of us…and certainly isn't forgotten either…" Walking over to her side, he gently placed his hand on her shoulder, not wanting to recreate the previous awkward atmosphere with a hug. "Sure, we forget the day of her death, but it isn't really something we want to focus on right? I mean…when we were kids; she was pretty much at the center of everything in the village, the glue that held all the pieces together to make us whole. She was born and raised with most of our parents here, being the person who was always kind and helpful whenever no one else would be. She was very wise too, offering our parents advice on things that we didn't understand and which they couldn't find a answer to. Your mom was definitely loving and caring too, not one person who met her could say anything against that; it was what made her very special, along with her loyal heart…it's the person who we all like to remember, the strong woman who didn't depend on her husband to fix her problems for her and yet wasn't at all harsh or demanding…"

A goofy grin crossed Ray's features, as a memory seemed to take shape in his mind, his hold on her shoulder loose, his eyes glazed over as he tried to voice the recollection.

"I remember one time when my Dad had gotten mad at me because of something at school…a test mark on something I think…and I had gone down to the dock so that I could clear my head. Your mum was there…sitting on the edge of it with her feet dangling off the side, I was terrified of every girl back then…well every one besides my own mom…but before I was able to leave she call me over and asked me what I was doing outside all alone…" Letting out a small chuckle, his hold on her shoulder became firm once more as he continued. "With a bit of convincing, and some left over candy that she had, I told her the whole story and got some good advice back in return that I used to mend things with my Dad…"

His eyes coming back into focus once more, they shifted along with the rest of his body as he tried to enter the librarian's peripheral vision.

"What I'm trying to say, Maria, is that your mom helped a lot of people in this town, and there wasn't one person who didn't respect her or jump to her aid if ever she needed it…heck even us boys were wrapped around her finger for the amount of times she helped us and gave us cookies…" Noticing her small brown eyes move to make eye contact with his, he went straight to the point. "I mean it when I say that no one has forgotten her, it's just sometimes easier not to focus on the sadder part of everything that we wished we could have done something about…if you bring her up, everyone would say something about her. I guess when it comes to visiting on the anniversary, it just seems more painful after more time passes, so people would prefer to think about them in their own way…"

Her eyes moving away fully from the words before her and instead towards Ray, she nodded slowly.

"Perhaps…I have been judging them all rather harshly…after all, when this first occurred they were just as hurt as I was over the incident. Now they had moved on, have fully acknowledged what has happened and are able to continue with their own lives without being in pain every time she is mentioned…perhaps it was my envy of that, which created my resentment…"

Moving her to face away from the slab of stone in front of her, the fisherman slid his hand off her shoulder as he continued to make eye contact with her, doing his best to smother his feelings as he knew doing anything in regards to them would only help in further hurting the grieving girl before him and make their situation even more awkward then it already was.

"Well, it'd obviously be harder for you because you are her daughter…and losing her like that was probably a lot harder then any other way it could've happened. You just need to remember that whatever you regret about not doing before, shouldn't bother you now…whatever you want to tell her or say sorry for she already knows…where ever she is, she'll be thinking of you and still be your mother even without being here…"

Slipping her hand into her pocket unconsciously, tears tickled the back of her eyelids as she continued to stare at him, a proud thought about how he had progressed in the past few weeks dashed through her mind as she kept her gaze on him, leaving as quickly as it had come so that she may return to more somber thoughts.

"I do understand that but I'm afraid…things are never truly that simple…"

Raising an eyebrow in bewilderment, his mouth formed a small, yet clearly understandable word, "Huh?"

"What I did…what I said to her before it…was unforgivable…" the young librarian averted her eyes, her coat shifting as she attempted to move her body as well. "She wasn't feeling well and yet…yet I did nothing…I yelled at her, fought with her for a completely silly and irrational thing…the stress must have made things worse…and then…I wasn't able to… I wasn't able too…"

Fresh tears poured from her eyes, as they closed involuntarily, causing a small shiver to run down Ray's back as he once again went out to hold her arm in a gentle grip so that she would not turn away from him. A concerned look entered his blue eyes as he tried to understand just what exactly she was talking about.

"Maria…what happened exactly?"

Her voice small she responded, "I suppose it doesn't matter now…"

"Maria…" His voice solid, Ray slid his hand down to hold hers, hoping that the rather un-suave move might be seen as it was intended. "Please tell me…"

"It happened…the day she died…"


	10. Chapter 10

Opposites Attract Chapter 10

A/N: Ah, Opposites Attract, how long it has been since I've seen the light of your page. To all my readers, I'm so very, very sorry for not having updated for so long. 8 Months is a bit excessive and I know I probably left many wondering what exactly happened to me during that very long disappearing period. So I hope you like this very…long seen coming…chapter and won't be too furious.

"The day she died?"

The branches of the nearby chestnuts trees rustled softly in the winter wind, causing small currents of snow to float down quietly towards the ground. Eerie, it seemed to be the only word that came to Ray's mind as his ears took in the silence around the two villagers. Almost deafening was the silence that enveloped the mountaintop, as if the very earth itself knew of the untold story that was finally being put into words.

"As you remember, during the time my mother was alive and living in the village, she was very much loved by the others," Ray didn't feel the need to nod his head, knowing she wouldn't have wanted any form of response anyways. "Always ready to lend a helping hand, open her heart to another or even just talk, she was the perfect wife for a mayor, the perfect example for other women, the perfect friend and the perfect role model."

"Nothing can be perfect forever…not even something as eternal as the ocean," whispered Ray softly, giving Maria's hand a short squeeze hoping it would be seen as encouragement to continue.

"It was snowing…the day she died; the world was peaceful, as snow softly drifted to the ground and pilled up against the windows, frost coating the thin layer of glass that stood between us and the outside world…"

_"Maria, sweetheart, you haven't by chance seen the wool mittens Martha knitted me, did you?"_

"She was going out to meet with some of the other villagers, trying to finalize plans for a new festival that she thought would improve tourism…she always was planning things like that, always trying to make the town more unique and noticeable to the public eye."

_"On the living room coffee table, though mom, you can't help me with these music questions can you?"_

_"Mother?"_

_"Oh! There they are, on the coffee-table, how silly, I'm always forgetting about where I place these things."_

_"Are you going somewhere?"_

"She was always trying to do her best in those situations, giving more than others for the betterment of not only the village but it's inhabitants; never taking into account her health issues or human vulnerability," Blue hair shuffled slightly and flew against Ray's cold cheek as Maria shook her head. "As it happens, her vulnerabilities got the best of her…and caused the worst in me."

_A smile, her mothers' smile, grazed the lips of the older blue haired women, whose worried, almost anxious green eyes scanned the room, as if looking for something she may have forgotten. _

_"Just to a meeting dear, we're finalizing things for the new festival and trying to ensure that everyone will understand its implication, when everything starts. It's something that no other village we know of has done before, so we're trying to work out the kinks in the system before the debut…"_

"_Couldn't it wait? Just look at the weather outside Mother! You would be soaked in a matter of moments and navigating through the snow…well don't even get me starting in dealing with that matter!"_

"_Maria, don't be worried, it's only a few minutes away this time and we should only be an hour or so; really, I'm sure walking to Liz's House and back won't be oh so bad…" She paused thoughtfully, placing a slight hand on her pale cheek in contemplation. "I should only be setting out around 2 O'clock or so and considering the meeting will be done before 3 I doubt that there will be any real risks."_

_A look of worry entered the younger girls eyes, as she looked over the older woman in front of her, who, despite her attempts to dissuade her, had simply increased the brown-eyed girl distress._

"_But…but…you seemed so ill this morning mother, are you sure you should be going out, especially in this weather? The meeting could wait another day right? The festival isn't happening for another 2 weeks, so can't it be postponed?"_

"_Don't be silly! The weather is just fine and as Terry says, the weather is never too bad to not be outside!" A small shudder ran through the woman's body, quickly suppressed and hidden along with the small cough that accompanied it, from the 12-year-old girl, listening to her every word. "Plus we really need to get everything in order; the two week mark is one of the most important after all! What with the ordering of goods, making of announcements and sending out of letters, no time must be wasted if we want this to be done by the 15__th__."_

"_M-"_

_"Maybe if I have time, I can pass by Michael's house. Poor little Ann seems to have caught a horrible bought of the flu and because of the fireworks festival a town over; Michael doesn't have much time to take care of her so I thought I might stop by to see if she needed anything…"_

_Maria shifted in her seat, looking back towards the page she had so unceremoniously left open to the still air as she tried to think of something to say to her mother. _

_"Well, what if I went to see Ann? She is only down the road, you know how she can be when she is ill and I could bring her some soup to help," She looked up suddenly, an idea forming in her mind. "Maybe we could spend the day together afterward instead, talking, reading and watching our favorite TV show, we haven't done that for a few weeks. We could have a mother/daughter day, it's the perfect weather and Daddy isn't going to be home for a few more hour; please?"_

"Maria?"

Startled out of her memories, she looked over into the chocolate hues that made up Ray's eyes, vainly wishing that he could read her thoughts and memories through her eyes and gaze past them into her very soul.

Noticing her look, he encircled his arms around her and, with his ponytail coming slightly undone from the position it put him in, whispered in her ear, "So what exactly happened?"

"She had been trying to get out of the house to get to the Fire Festival meeting," Maria answered almost robotically, before sighing resolutely and leaning into his warmer body. "Then she had planned to go to the Junk shop to check on things, but she hadn't been feeling well the morning so I had hoped that maybe she would reconsider…"

He nodded slowly, a blush rising to his cheeks as he felt her warm breath flit across his bare neck. "Did she?"

A small, barely noticeable nod of ascent came from Maria, as her memories filled the vacant space of her minds eyes, reminding her of days long past and the regrets that sprang from them.

_A grim smile appeared on Theresa's face as she turned her eyes onto her daughter before placing a small, smooth hand on the top of her head. _

_"You know I can't back out on my commitments, the others need me to keep them and I'm sure in the long run it won't make much of a difference whether we spend time together today or tomorrow," She ran her fingers through the smaller girls hair, attempting to make her words seem less harsh through the soothing action. "It will all pay off in the end sweetie. I'm sure everyone else will appreciate all the time and effort we're putting into these new festivals and will be encouraged to participate."_

Uncalled for tears seemed to fill Maria's eyes, which she stubbornly blinked back; knowing that her mother's words weren't meant as a rejection for her proposition to spend the day together but just a mother telling her daughter that she must stick to her commitments. Averting her eyes from the soft greens of her mother's, she did her best to examine the room at large, noticing how several of the presentation posters, that her mother had set up for the town council meetings had fallen haphazardly onto the carpeted floor of the living room.

"Maria…Maria, look at me…"

"Maria, please look at me, please," Ray earnestly pleaded, growing concern emitting from his actions. "What happened exactly?"

"You know I'm doing this for you and the others. You'll see, in a few years you'll all be attending the festivals and enjoying the variety of activities, along with getting closer to your friends. You'll be happy we did this…"

"But…but…you just, you keep pushing yourself and overworking, if you're not careful…with your health," A small sniffle rang out, then a deep inhalation. "I'd just like it very much Mommy, if you stayed home in this weather and took care of yourself instead."

"I can't, it would be too selfish of me and my health isn't really that bad. I've been making some progress on other town affairs and it seems my cough from two weeks ago has almost fully gone away," A soft smile brightened Theresa's features, making her light green eyes almost sparkle with the light of the life and emotion within them. "Just a few more weeks too and the spring warmth should be setting in, meaning more outdoor picnics and outings with the girls on the committee, that and I can finally getting around to seeing how Terry did this season…"

A contemplative silence seemed to surround Theresa as she stopped stroking her daughter's hair for a moment; very excited about her prospective spring plans. During that silence, only but a slight creaking was heard, as the only wooden apparel in the house, the bookshelves located in both Maria's and her parents rooms respectively, shrunk from the increasing cold temperature in the house. Almost forebodingly, a slight wind began to pick up outside the house, tossing grounded snow once more against the frozen windowpanes.

"We fought…or rather, I fought, with her…because I was stupid…and so very selfish." Breathed the soft, Mezzo-Soprano voice, the sound being carried softly away by the wind. "Then after that…I woke up…"

What the people want mother, what they need, what about us Mom, what about what we need! The girl's thoughts rang out in her head, clear as a church bell in the crisp winter morn. Unknowing of what precisely was going through her offspring's head at that moment, Theresa went to the stand by the door, grabbing the necessary items before stopping to look at a strip of paper. Maria's eyes following her mother's form, she naturally also hesitated and finally rested her eyes on the messily written letter.

A small, delicate laugh rang out throughout the room when the letter was finally returned to its previous resting place, a playful and amused gleam entered the green depths of Theresa's eyes, as she waved dismissively at the curious look that Maria gave her. "Oh its nothing dear, just the silly words and attempts of your father at poetry." She placed a few fragile, thin fingers on her lips, a smile gracing her features still. "I really do wonder about what your father wants at times, he does try so hard for it after all…"

"Mommy…what exactly did he say?"

"Oh but that time stands still while I'm away, I should be wary and worry about my health, that he's always here in case I ever need him and the usual things that are said in poetry."

Confused by the way her mother had treated the seemingly affectionate message; she searched her mother's eyes for an answer. She hoped that behind those eyes, exposed from the pulled back hair, there would be that intricate network of emotion and reason that had fascinated her for years.

"It's just, at times my darling, your father tends to worry a bit too much about me; really he is sweet but the suggestions and statements he makes have been put forth before," Fiddling with the hem of her white dress sleeve, she continued. "He really did try when it came to the poem though, he's improved since I've begun teaching him the different forms, but he still needs practice."

"You woke up?" Ray whispered to himself, working through the words in his mind and trying to understand exactly what she meant. "Maria, whatever you did couldn't have been that selfish; wasn't it you who told me that no argument is started without a good reason?"

Despite her morose mood, a proud smile flitted along the edge of Maria's lips, showing her pride in Ray's progress. She then nodded slowly, regardless of her earlier statement that had alluded to the contrary.

"So it wasn't that horrible right?"

Not having enough strength or courage left in her to speak anymore of the past, she continued answering through actions, thus with a curt shake of her head, her blue hair falling forward and obscuring the side of her facing like a curtain, her hair band fell into the snow below.

"Maybe he just wants to spend more time with you and I?"

Wavy blue hair shone in the winter light, making Maria notice that her mother hadn't gone through the bother of straightening her hair that morning; she knew her mother well enough and the simple fact that she hadn't tried to control her 'unruly' hair spoke volumes of her current state.

"We spend enough time together at night when we're home darling, so I doubt that he'd be worrying about anything like that," Her dainty fingers lightly touched the edges of the paper once more, thoughtful and yet hesitant in the same instant. "Theodore never was a man of particular wants, he might have just felt like leaving a note today."

"We barely spend anytime together at night though and even during weekends you and father have other functions to attend that keep you away…maybe finding more time to spend together wouldn't be such a bad thing?"

An almost exasperated sigh escaped her mothers lips, easily making her thoughts known to Maria; "I don't mean to be away, you know that Marie, these things simply have to be dealt with now before they possibly cause problems later." Replied Theresa, her tone softening after using her personal nickname for Maria. "The time will come when we can spend time together, we have plenty of time."

"Plenty of time," Maria muttered to herself, as she leaned against the polished surface of the wooden table, her fingers interlacing themselves and tightening as her thoughts took on a more structured form. "Is that really what you think?"

"Hm?" Theresa muttered distractedly, heading towards the door, thinking that their conversation had been finished and did not need any further inquiry.

" 'Plenty of Time,' time, that's always what there is isn't it?" An angry timbre could easily be detected in Maria's words, making the already hot, twisting doorknob in Theresa's hands stop suddenly. "There's always a time other than the present in which we can spend time together, all moments can be replaced, all memories gotten at another period. There will always be something to do, someone to help, a meeting to attend; a never ending cycle that spirals downward into the region of tomorrow."

A tension permitted the air around the two; causing Theresa, with obvious unease in her voice to ask, "Marie, what exactly are you trying to say?"

"That you spend more time with the rest of the village then you do with Father and me."

A thick gray cloud floated into the path of the sun overhead, throwing the room into darkness for several moments as the older of the two blue haired women faced the younger, shock etched into her features. Removing her hand from the doorknob, Flowerbud's own 'First-Lady' took the first uncertain step she ever had in that house, toward her, almost, teenage daughter.

"You never worry about your health anymore either! You're constantly pushing limits and going over the edge, neither caring nor worrying when you do so. That and with you always placing everything and anything above your own well-being, you not only succeed in worrying the doctor but Father and me as well!"

"Maria-"

Standing up abruptly, she stared intently into the eyes of the older women, not entirely caring what kind of reaction her words incurred. A group of clouds passed over the house this time, blocking any source of light for a much longer period, making the house as silent as the grave; heartbeat sounding strongly in the stillness before sudden silence, then, a sob and two tears falling onto the hard wood of a table.

"The thing that I think hurts most is that you don't realize you're pushing us away…" Stark brown eyes stood off against pained green, as more tears began to slowly slide off the polished, hard surface. "I still need you, Father still needs you, and don't you realize that with your focus being on what's outside your inner circle, that you're missing what's within it?"

To Maria, it seemed to take only a second or so for Theresa to reach the side of the table and reach a hand up to her daughter's cheek. Just as quickly, the girl of twelve had pulled back, stumbling as she went, more and more tears streaming down her face.

"N-N-No, I know you care…and-and you just want what's best for everyone else but…but…sometimes you can't just disregard things like Father's letter, you can't simply chalk it up to foolish worrying and reflection." Voice cracking, Maria continued with her tirade, now unable to meet her mother's eyes. "We care what you do to yourself and just want to spend time with you…is that so hard to understand and try to do?"

The green-eyed beauty withdrew her hand, holding it close to her chest, as her breathing seemed to come in shorter pants. Theresa's movements seemed somewhat sluggish in movement and jerky, allowing the simple pulling back of the hand and placing it on the kitchen table, seem almost too slow.

"I know you need to help other people but sometimes I need help too Mom! In certain instances I find myself lost, alone in charted territories with a blank map, unknowing what to do and where to turn…"

"M-M-My…"

"The village seems to entertain all your focus and time! Helping the villagers, establishing festivals and building our community, is that all you can think of concentrating on now! Don't you remember that the villagers don't know about your heart, that they don't see what doing all this work does to it!? Don't you know that I love you too much to watch this anymore!?"

"H-heart…"

Maria stumbled in the direction of the door, not tearing her eyes away from the ground as she went, speaking in a much softer pitch.

"Mommy, I just want you to show me all that affection you did once and not act like father and I are books in the attic waiting to be read. We're your family and at the moment all we see is you starting to walk down a path where, we won't be able to reach you." The future librarian's eyes darted upward and looked at Theresa's thin form. "A girl wants as many fond memories of her mother as time allows her to have, and I'd rather those memories be of love and how we spent time together, rather then of you're accomplishments."

Turning her eyes on her mother, Maria quickly walked to the doorway, not caring about her lack of coat and boots or the snow outside and pulled open the heavy, white, ash wood door.

"I'll be home a little later **Mother**, I just have some things to do." Pulling off her trademark hair band, she placed it on the side table. "I hope the villagers appreciate everything your doing because frankly I don't care anymore."

Then, with a powerful, quick stride out the door, she walked out into the cold, winter air, the bite of the wind and falling snow causing her to close the door with an unnatural slam. It wasn't until much later that Maria would find out that moments after she had slammed the door that her mother's body would slump onto the ground and she would breath her last breaths, tears leaking out of glazed eyes, as she died with her last thoughts being that her daughter hated her.

"I-I felt like…I was…losing her," Maria told Ray, raising her head until she was eye level withhim. "As all twelve year olds tend to do, I l-lashed out; f-f-foolishly, I acted as if s-she had never shown love for me before…and…I think that…"

Indescribable pain filled the young woman's eyes, showing Ray the extent of Maria's self-blame for her mother's suffering.

"What do you think Maria?" A genuine question, filled with sympathy and a sensitive prying as he goaded her to continue.

"I think that I may have been the reason she died."

Gingerly, with hands red from the cold and the touch of snow, she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her coat, trying to warm them up. Ray worrying enveloped her in a hug and started to slowly lead her away from the gravesite.

"'Cause of your fight? Come on Maria, things like that don't happen."

"Her heart, it was always weak, emotional strain played a part in a lot of her episodes too…I'm certain my claiming she cared more about the townsfolk then us…"

Another sniffle, and glossy eyes were all that filled Ray's vision as he looked on at her. "I sounded as if I hated her Ray, as if she were as distant or detached from me as a mountain to the ocean."

Unable to utter a word, Ray let her continue, feeling only the slightest dampness on his thin coat, "I just wanted her back, I wanted things to be as they were before…I didn't care about the villagers or what she had done to better our lives here; as long as she focused more on them then Father and me, I hated them with a passion."

"Is that why you can't stand that no one remembers her?" All he ever seemed to get from her was a faint nod, so he pulled away, keeping Maria at arms length as he took in a deep breath. "Maria…all kids feel that way, they hate it when their parents pay more attention to the outside world then them, trust me I acted like that all the time with my folks. Probably why my Dad was so strict on me back in high school come to think of it…"

Lack of response from the joke made him sigh in defeat, mildly sad that yet another of his attempts had failed. "I guess, what I'm trying to say is that, people can forget about dates and stuff but not about people who they care a lot about…and your mom wouldn't want you to hold it against everybody and yourself for her death."

"B-b-but…it was…she treated my feelings…and Daddy's feelings…as if they were a joke, we were worried, she was drifting, we were all drifting apart…she was spending more time at those festival meetings then at home an-and."

"And you got angry and held it against her, you yelled, you guys fought ok…but it wasn't you that killed her…" The fisherman tugged at his ponytail nervously, trying to keep his cool around the now crying girl. "It would have happened anyway, her heart was weak right? The stress got to her and it would have happened sometime that day anyway, whether you had said anything or not."

A quick glance at the tombstone on the part of Maria and a pained look put Ray into immediate silence, stopping whatever he was going to say next to reassure her: "Is that what you think…honestly?"

"Yeah…I know it's kinda hard to take in or see but…your mom loved you and knows that it would have happened anyway, so I doubt she blames you or your Dad…"

"S-still-I-I-I never got to-"

"Then say it Maria, tell her it now, it'll help you let go…"

"T-that's silly, she can't hear it anyway…" At that, Ray created a small distance between himself and Maria, hoping to encourage her in anyway he could.

"Then tell me what you wanna say," Ray shrugged slightly, looking up into the sky, where the ever falling, snow fell, coming in faster than normal. "Hey, you may not be able to let go but talking about it can't be bad right?"

"I've told you everything though," A peculiar thing occurred then, one rare especially on the face of the Mayor's daughter, a look on uncertainty and confusion, not knowing the answer that the question that was asked of her.

"I mean…after death we assume that the Goddess brings us to a place of rest where we can meet anyone who we ever loved and knew. Goddess believers think that they watch us from wherever this place of rest is and can see what we're doing so," He struggled with what to say next, hoping that she would take to his next idea. "So, maybe…if you don't think she can hear what you're saying, she can see how much of a hard time you've been having with this and by telling me it'll show how badly you feel about what you said?"

Taking a quick intake of breath, Maria knew trying to act imperturbable now wouldn't work; "Ray, I've prayed to the Goddess thousands of times to tell my mother of my pains, how exactly would this help more than that?" An idea came to Maria then, easily seen in the sudden twinkle in her eyes as her thoughts wandered, before quickly returning to the somber, glossy way they were before.

"Maybe all you really need, is approval and forgiveness from someone who can act as a-a in-inter-go between for you and your mother."

An almost static atmosphere came after that before being quickly replaced by a warmer one, telling that whatever tensions there were between them because of his statement or earlier actions were washed away as she heeded to the idea.

"It is worth a try I would guess," With but a smile and slight shaking of his ponytail as the go ahead, she sighed and began. "I'm sorry…for everything that happened that day, for everything that I said and felt. I was just worried and stressed, and combined with, I guess, a feeling of being always left until later I acted angrier then I should have. I loved you and I miss everything that used to come from that; the time we used to spend together, those lessons…everything…"

Grabbing her hand lightly, Ray directed her a little further away from the tombstone, so that they were at the edge of the clearing, facing the incline up towards the sky.

"I didn't mean for it to be because of me and I still blame myself for it…for everything I caused and did, I should have left my emotions for another time, a quieter and less busy time. I appreciated everything you did, father too and we…we…just hope you can forgive us for our selfishness…for my selfishness."

Finding nothing else to say, Maria began humming softly, a song that Ray couldn't identify and left him starring in wonder at the girl.

"Mom…" Bowing her head as she finished her song, the words barely escaped her lips as her tears subsided.

In a soft voice Ray asked, "Hey, feel a little better?"

"Yes…thank you…" A genuine smile graced her lips as she looked at the boy in front of her and squeezed his hand gently. "Just Ray…"

"Huh, what?"

"I think I want, some time, to think about all of this," Brown eyes swept the area between them and the engraved stone, along with her hand. "It will only be for awhile but, I need to do something alone."

With a dejected look Ray responded, "Oh, O-ok, if you're sure-"

"Yes," She interrupted him, taking a step closer. "I'm sure. To pay my respects and do what I need to do, but I promise I'll come talk to you."

"Tomorrow?" Looking at the girl in front of him with somewhat hopeful eyes, he waited for an answer.

A rueful smile and a quick peck on the cheek left him reeling. "Not so soon, but before the next festival I promise. There are just a lot of things I need to sort out…I owe you much for today Ray, without you I probably wouldn't be able to go through with what I need to do next."

Blushing from his neck upwards, he stuttered out his next question. "W-what e-exactly is-is t-t-that?"

With a much sadder smile, she began walking back out into the clearing, looking over her shoulder; "I can't say right now but by the waxing crescent moon…well, we'll see."

"Ok, I'll uh, leave you to do stuff then Maria…"

Another genuine smile was directed towards him as Maria turned around, her coat swaying in the wind, "Bye Ray and thank you for letting me open in such a way to you."

"No problem, you needed it so, as long as it helped I'm glad I could do it." Crossing his arms, he nodded his head in an awkward way. "I'll see you soon…"

She nodded quickly, not letting the snow bother her as much as it should have.

"Life, a fickle thing much

Prone to scorn and love

And whilst giving and taking

We become confused when it

Comes to all consuming passion

And illicit, catastrophic, unfathomed trysts"

Ray gaped at the retreating form of the young woman in front of him, deciding, though against his better judgment, that he would leave for now. However, as the familiar crunch of snow became the only thing heard around him, he decided that he would check up on her a bit later and ask just what exactly she meant by 'illicit, catastrophic, unfathomed trysts.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Hoozah, at last a chapter that did not take me 4 months to write! Glorious is this day! All right well…not really but at the very least I got the chapter out earlier. A fairly short chapter I must admit, though more amusing then anything. I thought that after the last few chapters that something more jovial was in order. So read and enjoy and if you have the time please do review!

Bright lights were on throughout the Moonlit bar, changing the romantic atmosphere to one resembling a classroom or meeting room of sorts. Tables were pushed up against the bar, tankards of soda scattered over its surface as two large groups of people sat on stools along the edges. Over the counter however, stood two individuals, eyes looking out sternly into those of the observers. The rest of the room was empty, the door locked and bolted, keeping the heat of the bar tightly inside.

With a slight scrapping of a stool, one of the figures at the far edge of the massive table stood, his blue cap easily discernable despite the strong lights.

"Ok…so we're holding this meeting to discuss a "rumor" started by one of your group," He threw his hand outward in the general direction of the other side of the table. "About two of **our** friends who, except for not having anything in common, have every reason to get together." Crossing his arms indignantly, he rolled his eyes with a frustrated huff. "So why the hell are we trying to stop it?"

"Blue, we're not **against** it! I mean I have no problem with a little lovin' between people every once in awhile…" Spoke one of the voices behind the counter, a smirk almost audible in his voice. "It just depends on which people…"

A woman with bright ruby eyes sprung up from the middle of the table, glaring into the eyes of the man across the counter, "Maria needs someone who'll support her, who knows how to act like a real man. Ray, as funny a sugah as he may be, just doesn't suit Maria," The tone of disapproval in her voice was easily audible and her tense stance simply added to fact that she seemed extremely bothered by the situation. "To be in love is a beautiful thing, sure, but this kind of love can only go downhill and I don't want to have to pick up the pieces. Things like a 'dedicated and true love' don't exist for guys like Ray and Dan and no matter what we say, never will!" A defiant hey went unnoticed by the group as they waited for the ruby-eyed girl to continue her argument. "I mean, if I could go see Ray, right now, I would tell him: "Ray, I don't want you to be with Maria because she isn't your kind of girl. She needs someone who can understand her and give her the things she deserves; that any true lover would give her, not someone who would dump her for the next pretty girl that comes along,' he has to understand that playing with one of my girlfriends hearts isn't a game!"

"But Ray isn't that kind of guy! You can't go and judge him like that, you barely know him!" exclaimed a young, brown haired boy; his fishing equipment and starry bandana clearing stating whose side he was on. "_I _know her as well as you do and I think the two could work out! I mean we all do things that others don't expect like…me fishing or Kurt writing poetry." The blatant disregard of his older brother's secrets made the other boy's ears a bright red, renewing his focus on the assembled tables. "You don't have to be made to suit another person perfectly to be by their side right?"

As if the heated discussion had been the timid beginnings of a grand aria, the notes began to rise in scale, then the volume, becoming a crescendo before being firmly interrupted by the two who were supposed to be the singers.

"We didn't come here to have an argument about why they should or shouldn't be together," came the booming voice of Katie, whose hands had slammed down on the counter, the sound echoing off the walls of the moonlight bar as everyone turned to give her an accusatory look. "Ok…so maybe we did, but still we shouldn't be doing it like this!"

Feeling like he should back up his fellow host, Dan leaned back tentatively and addressed the mixed group, "When people are in love, all those involved in their lives are affected by it, whether they wish to be or not…in this case, the onlookers happen to be us and we need to decide how we're going to deal with the situation."

"Something's in this world are not meant to be tampered with; they are meant to succumb to the vices and pleasures of a true life, as the clock ticks and the ball continues to roll in a never-ending circle. Eternity is in the form of cycles that never seem to cease, always beginning as they end and end as they begin." Muttered a voice just barely heard by the huddled audience; having snuck in without having been detected by any in the well lit room, Dia had managed to seat herself in an area where only the slightest amount of light touched, shining but a small ray onto the left side of her face, leaving the rest of her body shrouded in shadow.

"The new girl? Now that's a turn of events," Dan whispered to Katie, his playful tone enough for Katie to assume that he a smirk was marring his features.

Rolling her eyes, Katie quickly pushed Dan off to the side, hoping that the abrupt action would wipe away the impish look that had taken over his smirk. Giving the taller girl a glance over, her form seemed to straighten, as if she was almost threatened by the new arrival.

"And _what_ exactly do you mean by that?"

"There are some things in life that are beyond our control; the weather, time and love being prime examples," A playful aura seemed to pervade her as she took her own stance. "Maybe it is time that people stop trying to control things that are beyond them and settle down to the mystery of reality."

"Sorry but we aren't here to throw a party for them," In a rare moment of seriousness, Dan leaned forward, placing his hands on the table so as to imply the importance of what he was saying. "We need a battle strategy and we need it before the two decide to fall apart at the seams and take us with them. Ray will eventually see what a mistake he's making…"

A quick glare from the female populace sent Dan down another track.

"Er…see how this could affect **us **and decide to break things off with Maria. With the bonds we have, there is no way we could come out with good results, so we need to do something _now _before something like**that **happens."

Green dress brushing against the floor and light reflecting off the silver and gold seams, Dia crossed the floor of the restaurant, only stopping in back of the only vacant seat surrounding the table. "If that is what you wish…though I warn you that gossip and an ill-conception of certain situations can only end badly; otherwise…" Swiftly seating herself, the black-haired girl placed her hands in her lap complacently. "Do carry on."

Looking up with a mild look of surprise at Dia, now seated beside Joe, Kurt wondered how exactly she had managed to find out about the meeting and sneak in without his notice. A smile coming over his features at the amusing thought, Kurt decided to refocus his attentions on the present.

"Alright guys, maybe we aren't focusing on the right thing here…" Gwen stood then; readying herself for whatever commentary was to follow by flicking her ponytail and taking on the firm stance of a rider. "Shouldn't we focus on how we can keep this quiet and keep us, as groups, together."

"We need to worry about how our friendships will hold out if anything happens and what we can do about them right now," stated Ann, her hands fidgeting with the ends of her ponytail, giving her nervousness away.

"That's what we've been _trying_ to do Ann, and Gwen…we can't keep this quiet anymore then we have, it's just way to big to keep amongst ourselves," Katie replied, her eyes turning to scan the onlookers. "I think we need to take the next logical course of action…we can't contain this for much longer, but we need to find a way to manage the flow of it as much as possible, at least until Ray and Maria find out and then we can react."

"React by telling them how wrong this all is, I mean there are so many other women out there! Plus Maria is just going to be Ray's ball and chain and Ray doesn't know the first thing about a lady's needs, so we need to find a way to fix all this before it blows up in our faces…"

"So are you guys all ok with going behind our friends backs and talking about this, even if ultimately it is for the greater good?"

Nods from each individual left the two leaders of the group satisfied enough to pull up two stools to the counter, feeling that the real decision making was ready to begin.

"So…what should we do?"

***

A delicate frapping echoed down the purple entrance hall of the small house, passing through the thin door and being easily audible in the complete silence of the small living room. Rising lazily, the male dropped his book onto the table, the worn leather cover falling open, leaving the cover page exposed to the air. Glancing down at the text, he read it for what seemed to be the thousandth time. _The Melody of time,__ n_o matter how many times he went over the words, it still perplexed him how exactly it had anything to do with the rest of the legend. Running a hand over his disheveled poncho, the purple haired boy turned to walk towards the kitchen, when another knock rang out, a little harder and more persistent then the first.

Hoping to just ignore it, he walked over to the bookshelf on the other side of the room, going over the various religious titles.

"Consolidation of Spirituality, The Goddess Dilemma, The Pond of Mineral Town, Goddess Springs, The Life of Father Nathan…is there nothing here that is remotely interesting?"

Taking a book from the shelf, he began to skim through its contents when the frapping returned once more, with much more of a presence and resonance then before. Sighing and annoyed with the interruptions, the boy moved to replace his hat to its rightful place as he walked into the small entryway. Making the final touches, he put on the most menacing face he could muster, as he unlocked the door and flung the door open, readily prepared to yell at whoever was on the other side.

"What do you w-" A look of shock crossed his face, cutting his tirade short, as a person who he had not spoken to for many years, came into view. Quickly regaining his composure however, Jamie fiddled with the edge of his hat. "Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes, long time no see."

***

The current of the river was slow, sluggish and choppy as the sub-zero temperature attempted to freeze it's ever moving depths. In more turbulent areas fish gathered and looked for sustenance, braving the speed of the water and doing their best to survive the harsh season. The sun was at its zenith, signaling that the noon hour was upon the residents of Flowerbud village and with it a brief period of rest. However, to those deeply immersed in the Woodman's Forest and standing by the tall cliff edifice, the noon hour took not precedence. Concentration on this environment was key, as the men who considered themselves 'hunters' waiting by the waters edge, their breath baited and waiting for one of the freshwater fish, enjoying the thrill that came along with it.

Silence reigned over the two, as snow covered trees heaved under their weight and wisps of light snow rose from the ground and the town just beyond the woods seemed to come alive with midday activity. Brown hair rustled in the a slight breeze, the back it lay on taut and ready to spring to action at the slightest movement of the rod before it.

"Boy, are you sure you used the right bait, we've been waiting awhile."

"Sir, I know fishing and with these particular river dwellers you need a lot of patience…the timing and waiting is key if we're going to actually get a valuable one."

Audible scoffing and huffing came from the direction of the older gentlemen, his brown and red hunters' hat tipped back as he rocked forward on his heels.

"Feels like a waste of time to me, spending all this time waiting."

A pair of hands grasped the pole of the fishing rod, aware of the large rainbow trout that seemed to be making its way toward the straggling piece of meat.

"Sometimes waiting is all we can do, until everything is right where you want it to be…"

The trailed off words were met by a quick and gruff response, "Boy, this is no time to be philosophical, 'caused your father enough trouble as it is."

"Maybe life should be simple enough that we don't need to wait, that everything is already made for us; can be easily explained and we don't have to wait for things to happen," The young man's thumb traced circles on the light colored, pine hilt of his rod. "Everything would be much less confusing if it was."

"If life were carefree, there were no problems and nothing to hide, then we wouldn't be in the situation we are now, kind of stuck in the middle, waiting for something to happen and someone to initiate it. If we lived in a different place, if the people were different and if we weren't who we were, then we could do this, we could go for it without any problems…but what does what if do for you right?"

Snow crunching could be heard as the speaker took a step back, pulling with him the fishing rod, who's line had finally caught and was waiting to be reeled in. A few minutes passed as the struggle between the fisherman and his prey ensued, the man's plumb prize using all its willpower and strength to get away from the rapidly approaching surface. With a final tug the fish was pulled out of the water, its fins flapping in the cold winter air. Silence returned as the hunter did away with his gain, preserving and storing it quickly before turning to his mustached friend.

"Do you ever think about things like that?"

"What the _hell_ are you talking about boy?"

***

The ringing sound that accompanied Ronald's entrance echoed throughout the Spring Farm, catching the attention of Liz and Martha who immediately toned down their conversation.

"Ronald, how nice to see you dear, how is the extraction coming along?" Called out Liz to the tanned man, a smile present in both her tone and on her face. "Back for more breadfruit already?"

" 'ctually I wanted cocoa, so I could make Grand Marnier Hot Chocolat'" Walking toward the back of the shop, the Hispanic man began to remove some of his winter apparel. " 'So cold up here during winter, it's really not good for the trees."

"Maaaaaa goodness I have to agree, this bitter winter air has left us all cooped up inside our houses and the beautiful mountain landscape to suffer; I mean, ma poor plants never seem to survive the wintah and with this snow I can't imagine our poor tree's doing much better! Ma goodness, ma goodness…" replied the older, graying blue-haired nurse, who's hair had begun to fall out of its bun.

"I do hope they survive the winter Ronald, it would be shame if the orchard had to replant a whole area."

"We'll see, maybe this cold won't damage anything," putting his mittens into his coat pocket, Ronald turned to look at the two women, a serious air surrounding him. "Have you heard the latest?"

A puzzled, yet curious look seemed to come over Liz's features. "No…has something happened?"

"Yo' must tell us Ronald!"

"Well…supposedly Ann saw Maria kissing Ray by the library about a week or so ago and told Michael, who told Hank, who told me that they've apparently been seeing on another for quite some time now."

"No it can't be…You don't mean to tell me that Theo's Maria, _the mayah's daughter_, was snagged by Clint's son!" cried Martha, scandalized beyond belief that a fisherman would actually have the pomp to ask out someone of such importance.

"I-I had never imagined those two starting anything together but if Ann saw them then it must be true, that child has always been as honest a plumb-colored fiddle," Placing her hand on her cheek, the pink-haired woman seemed to sigh dreamily. "It's funny how things turn out though, I know back in high school Maria would not have wanted to be _seen_ beside someone like Ray. But things change, I can see them having a happy life together"

"Good for one anothah? Liz, this can only end in tragedy, think of what Theodore will say! He would never stand for such a-such a ruffian taking care of his daughtah!"

"Now ladies, it is just some harmless teenage fun, nothing longstanding; who knows, maybe by the time the snow melts their fling will have melted along with it."

"Oh Theodore will be sure to see to that, he definitely won't stand for it once he hears who's going out with his precious Maria!" With a fervent huff, Martha strode with quick, jittery steps, towards the door, back straight and head turned towards the other two. "I'm sorry Liz, but I have to go, Doug and Duke **must **hear about this!"

A worried glance from the two remaining occupants of the store followed the nurse as she left the building, a tense atmosphere beginning to take form.

"I just hope everyone let's those two decide things for themselves; after all, love shouldn't be controlled by those not involved in it," Said Liz quietly, more to herself then anyone else, Ronald nodding his consent not too long afterwards as the two contemplated on young love, the two lovebirds and the power of Flowerbud's word of mouth.

***

Silvery-gray hands light touched the pages of the worn book, caressing the inked, crisp pages as their reader marveled at the emotions splayed on the pages. Turning to the latest edition, he willed himself, despite his weary and exhausted state, to read the glistening text once more.

I have never been so confused,

Though I hope I haven't be refused,

A man of words has a soul to write,

But all I seem to have is rickety flight.

Days end and the numbness prevails,

And all that I wished for in a day,

Has been lost in it's own tales.

So I'll wait,

Hope, dream and believe in fate.

Hopefully that day will come soon

Where the one I wait for,

Comes by the light of the moon.

The man smiled at the clichéd ending, silently laughing at the young lover's naivety in the matters of love. His silver hair billowing around him, he gently picked up the book and looked up toward the sky, now setting to a place far below the horizon. Knowing that sometimes fate could be a fickle thing and the moon a thing much beyond that of something that shed light, the man of many years sighed in sympathy with the love struck boy. Then, with unheard and unseen steps, the Harvest Lord turned and walked back into the thick darkness of the wood, heading for the single shaft of light that had brought him there. For he knew that the Goddess that he loved would never come by the form of light that he wanted her to come, nor would she ever be touched again by the light he could touch her with, moonlight.


	12. Chapter 12

Opposites Attract 12

_A/N: Hello again dear readers, I have managed to come out with another chapter at last, though it is slightly filler in manner. I do have some good news though, the end of Opposites Attract is in sight! Only two or three chapters are left in this almost 3 year saga (Well...three years...it really has been awhile since Magical Melody came out isn't it?). Thank you to everyone who has reviewed me up to this point, you've been a wonderful inspiration and one of the things that have brought me back to this fanfic time and time again, even if I've lost all inclination for it, and for that, I do hope you enjoy the remaining chapters and do continue with your support. Once again, truly, thank you!_

"I still don't understand why everyone is making such a big fuss over their relationship, honestly it is as if no one has lives of their own."

"Let's just say…when you live in a small town and something big happens, especially when it involves a whole group of people, it gets around…"

"I never suspected when I drew those two cards that they would be facing these kind of things so soon, I'll have to keep a close eye on them from now on."

"Dia…it's been days since we've seen either one of them and it was decided that we were not going to influence them in any way until we were sure."

"A rock, a feather, a puddle, an ember and those up above; life is not a set of rules, just made up of them."

"I-I uh…what?"

An eye lazily opened and glanced at the world within the realm of its capacity, noticing the stark, bright lights of the inner sanctum of the sanitarium and the lavish, but few, belongings of the gazer. The green iris flitted toward the neat stack that lay on top of the table wondering, beside perhaps their significance in the natural order of things, when her favorite show with a certain card-wielding ancient pharaoh would air that day. With a final calm look upward, Dia decided to finally answer Kurt's question of confusion.

"The elements, they're supposed to be the composition of everything in this world and help us disassociate that of the human plane from that of the spiritual. Easy card game fact and commonly seen in mythology," Coughing lightly, the girl sat up from her place on the sofa, hoping she wouldn't have to go into the vague details of the rules of spirituality and the universe. "As people we're supposed to be born as free-thinking things but because of society, government and 'scientifically proven natural laws' we are chained."

"What does _that_ have to do with Maria and Ray?"

Taking out several loose cards from her pocket, she let her fingers smooth over the surface of the well-used, somewhat creased card before saying; "We just aren't supposed to interfere with things we aren't a part of, that we, as free people, have freed ourselves from our chains to be doing, we are governed by certain forces you see and those forces shouldn't stand the test of human rationality."

"It isn't our business to be judging whether or not they should be together, but its all they can do right now, it makes them feel like they're in control and that nothing will be affected by what's happening," He straightened his bandana roughly while staring outside into the harsh sunlight. "Strange new things don't happen very often and when they do, this makes things easier to cope with them. In villages like this, people tend to thrive on the different and exciting activities of the young, so nothing is kept as quiet as it would in other places."

Slipping the miscellaneous cards back into the folds of her dress, Dia slowly got to her feet. ""From what I have seen, small town relations function very differently from big city one's, so I suppose this can't be helped."

Dia's footsteps around the upper floor of the sanatorium brought little distraction for Kurt's thoughts, as he too felt the anxiety of interfering with something that he wasn't supposed to. The current situation had gone much farther than his limits in normalcy allowed, yet, Dia's argument had been very compelling. Gripping the window frame, Kurt wondered if there was a way all of this would manage to blow over without the two who were implicated being hurt or bothered in some way.

"Of course…as in big city relations, there could always be outside forces that help the two along…" Spoke Dia into Kurt's ear, having suddenly appeared right behind him though he could have sworn that he had heard her footsteps moving across the room. "…Aid them while not going against the natural order of things."

Pulling back his stretched out arm, Kurt looked down at the street below, watching as the small snow flurries floated around the feet of those walking towards the mine and back. The outside world had been filled with an anxious quiet, waiting for an event of some kind to break through the silence and give life to it again. Very little snow had fallen the past few days, leaving mounds of the snow to remain untouched on the slightly sloping landscape. Gazing at these things as if they themselves would give him some answers left him bothered after a few moments and eager to answer the green-eyed girl's suggestion.

"Didn't you just say that we weren't supposed to 'meddle in things that we aren't a part of'?"

"Well the cards have just put forth a fascinating possibility, one that will only be realized if we participate in the actions leading up to it," Placing a light hand on his shoulder, Dia turned Kurt to look at her, a smile filled mirth playing its way onto her face. "However, we need to be on our way now if we are to take part in the first act, lest those that follow are not influence accordingly."

Sighing with knowing apprehension, Kurt bowed his head as he headed towards the couch as Dia scurried off toward the closet. Picking up his gloves, an odd feeling taking hold of him as he did so. Quickly grabbing his jacket off the back of the green couch, Kurt waited for Dia's return, wondering how beneficial their coming into the situation would be and whether the possibility would be worth the set of events that led up to it, for, when it comes to matters of the heart, the end cannot always justify the means.

***

The library was in a much messier state than was customary since Maria had returned from college, large reference books scattered over the few small tables that were pushed against the walls of the library, as chairs were placed in the various areas of the usually quiet, study place. The shelves unorganized and filled haphazardly with several mismatching series of books, it was a wonder and great surprise to Maria when she finally realized the extent of the damage her frantic search for answers had caused.

"This certainly won't be an easy thing to explain afterward," whispered Maria to herself, her eyes sweeping over the carnage before flickering towards the open book on the table. "At the very least the trouble was worth it."

Her finger ran over the yellowed page of the storybook, as she eyed the illustration on the page. Drawn in an older style that was reminiscent of those the blue-haired girl had studied during her art history class, the painting was filled with symbols pertaining to the Goddess, large moons silhouetting numerous figures that were turned to stone and what looked to be a musical staff. Eyes flitting over the page quickly, they came to rest on the small inscription made on the bottom. Mouthing the words to herself, Maria moved away from the table, trying to gain confidence from the meaning behind the simple phrase. As she strode towards the door however, dodging several misplaced chairs in her wake, her certainty began to wane and with a worried glance she looked back towards the barely bound book.

"If what it says is true…than a wish…that wish might be…" Maria let her words hang on the air, not fully taking in the fact that she had spoken aloud despite their being nothing but books occupying the room. A look of resolve and determination entering her eyes, the doubt previously clouding the woman's features had disappeared, decidedly going to be left to collect dust along with everything else in the small building. With a final click and the soft sound of a key turning in a lock, the caretaker was off on her journey, leaving the safe fictional and factual world of the library for another, more surreal reality as she sprinted up the path, determined to put her newfound knowledge to good use.

***

"You came here just for that?" Grumbled the elusive purple-hared farmer as he went about his daily routine, annoyed by the mere presence of another in his workplace. "You really have nothing to do with yourself now do you?"

A muffled reply from the other party was deftly ignored as the farmer pet his animals thoughtfully, hoping that, with a seemingly busy air and nonchalant reactions, the visitor might leave him in peace. The winds outside the barn had pushed much of the snow out into the main field, making it difficult to move from one area to the next, leaving Jamie not looking forward to returning to the harsh temperatures in his thin, albeit wool, clothing. His hand resting on the side of his trademark racehorse, he watched as the arrival moved significantly closer to the place where he was positioned, determined not to leave until they explained themselves.

Heaving a frustrated sigh, he turned, leveling an annoyed yet conceding gaze into the eyes of those near him, "Alright, I'll give you 5 minutes to talk and if whatever you have to say actually happens to catch my interest, I _might_ let you continue…"

The next few moments were filled with the soft and tired murmuring that was allotted to Jamie's 'tormentor',' as they revealed their intentions to the impatient man before them. A few sudden hand-movements caught the younger person's attention as the elder did their best to emphasize the importance of their affairs and tried to sum up the extent to which he could help. Placing a tentative hand on his chin in an uncharacteristic sign of interest, Jamie took a step toward the speaker; silence fell after a moment and the barn was filled with a pregnant pause waiting for Jamie's decision. Having completely forgotten about his farming schedule and his other duties, the poncho-wearing man nodded his head, showing his understanding and willing the other person to continue. Gesturing towards a spare chair in the corner, the two walked over, a fast-paced discussion already taking place as they made themselves comfortable, knowing that these affairs would only progress smoothly if a joint effort was put into it on both of their parts.

***

"…I beg your pardon?"

The shocked and completely appalled voice of the mayor of Flowerbud village made Michael double take, wondering if he had said something bad before going rigid. Wishing he could turn back time and along with it that piece of gossip, the junkshop keeper waited for the other man's response and the eruption that was evidently to come.

"My…my…Daughter with…"

He winced, taking note of the rapidly rising pitch of Theodore's voice; nodding slowly to his unfinished question, he hoped that the mayor's explosion wouldn't be something to make one of Ann's imperfect inventions jealous.

"With…with…. th-that THAT PLAYBOY!"

"I think you mean Player Theo…"

"That womanizing, good-for-nothing, trouble-maker with my-my Maria!?"

"Theodore…are we talking about the same person here?"

The nonsensical angry expression upon the mayor's face seemed to cause his features to bulge, with his veins easily discernable from the lightly reddened skin and bristling mustache, as Michael took a slight cautionary step back. Being friends aside, the junk shop owner knew that when the mayor was going to have one of his fits, one who would be better off a little distance away; one never knew what kind of tax or fine he might place on you with his mayorly powers. Gripping the edge of the counter in an attempt to stem the flow of his anger, Theodore breathed out in hurried pants, trying also not to think of ways in which he could kill the insolent fishing boy who had dared to lay his hands on his little girl.

"Theo, Maria isn't a little girl anymore," said Michael, responding to what he knew his old friend must be thinking, "I went through the same thing with Ann, some things we, as fathers, just have to…let go…"

"Don't you think I know that! This has nothing to do with her _dating _the boy; dating, as I see it in this day and age, is normal," the mayor tugged at the lapels of his suit-jacket in a jerky manner, irritated slightly by Michael's 'lack of understanding.' "It's the boy in question, such a ruffian would not be good for her!"

The junkshop owner made his way around the counter, gesturing lightly as he spoke, "Theo…Ray wouldn't harm a fly and Maria wouldn't be with him if she didn't see something beyond his tough-guy outer shell. I've known the both of them their whole lives for the Goddess' sake, trust me as someone not as 'intimately' involved as you that this really shouldn't be such a big deal."

The shorter of the two men didn't speak, his top hat now being gripped tightly between his two hands; edges being bent vigorously back on themselves. As an awkward silence filled the room, blue-eyes strayed over to the haphazard display of the inventions Ann had made over the years, a proud smile tugging at the lips but a little below them. Sighing softly to himself as his friend still refused to acknowledge what he had said; Michael took a few steps forward, placing a tentative hand on Theodore's shoulder and slowly, the Flowerbud Mayor looked away from the final piece that completed his business attire; eyes determined and indignant.

"You are her father Theodore and I guess…you do know what's best for her…but talk to her before you do anything to rash alright? Not everything may be as it seems." Michael's soft tone and reassuring features were meant to put the Mayor at ease, worried that the conversation might have agitated the man so much that a strain of sorts would be put on their long-time friendship.

"_I'll certainly be talking to her alright_," The brown-haired mayor muttered darkly to himself, giving a small, stern, but appreciative smile to his friend before curtly turning on his heel and heading toward the shop's entrance. "_And she better expect an earful, overprotective father qualities be damned!"_

***

White puffs of air were all that moved in the area before her, her breath little more than a silent reminder that the world beyond the snowy glen was also quite alive with activity. The sound of the waves crashing against the side of the lone peninsula could be heard, the water having but a small effect on the snow that seemed to cover every inch of it, barely hinting that there might be something other than cold, powder snow to exist on the ground. Rubbing her hands over her arms several times in an attempt to heat them once more, the young woman hoped that her suspicions were right. Shifting slightly in place, she moved her soaked feet once more through the snow, increasing the small trench that seemed to be becoming quite deep there. A sudden, yet violent, gust of wind managed to remove the remainder of the snow much to her relief, as she leaned over excitedly to look at what she been outside for over an hour looking for.

Putting her pale, already frozen hands into the snow, the blue-haired girl brushed the last traces of powder off her prize, gazing in wonder at the tablet imbedded in the cold soil. Though it should have faded over the passage of time, the musical staff stood out prominently on the stone, carvings much too fine and like print to seem like actual etchings. Letting a finger pass over the distinct treble and bass clef signs on the adjoining harmonized sections, her eyes traced the slightly familiar symbols that she had learned in her music theory course in high school. Leaning further over the stone she muttered the title of the musical piece to herself, more than slightly amazed at the fact that no one had come across the engraving before.

"_Filiolus Carmen…_Gods Song, this must be it," she thought to herself, excitement at the discovery of such a historical piece and its location, momentarily overcoming her sensibilities. "To think what this would mean for the followers of the Goddess, to finally give concrete evidence to the legends surrounding her."

As she let the whole of the engravings slide into her view, Maria's brow scrunched with worry and without much hesitation she find herself squinting and peering at several lighter engravings running along the otherwise seemingly empty lines of the staff. Barely inscribed notes and rests littered the staffs on the tablet, hardly visibly against the smooth, gray rock it was put against; several of the notes however, seemed to have a more definitive and wholesome quality too them, just as deeply ingrained and prominent as the title and clefs around them. These particular notes were scattered throughout the seemingly endless tablet, appearing at random intervals that truly made the song seem like a messy, unfinished work.

Counting all the notes mentally, she sat back on her heels, astonished by the number. Placing a hand under her chin thoughtfully, Maria stood, at last uncertain about just how much truth the legend could hold, as yet another one of its aspects seemed to come to life.

"One Hundred Magical notes…notes that create a melody beautiful enough to wake a Goddess from her slumber and make men's wishes true…what kind of instrument could handle such a burden?"

A new voice filled the clearing, much deeper and older sounding then the librarian's whose voice had just faded as this new one rose into the air.

"Only that which can be said to stand to blame for all of mankind's indignity, scorn, brilliance and ability, only that which can bear the trials and tribulations of human beings power; the most golden instrument of all, the human voice."


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: So I have returned to this story once again! Despite the prolonged absence I assure you I do have every intention of finishing this fic, especially considering how close we are to the end at this point. College life and writer's block hit me like a brick this year unfortunately, and between those as well as friends it's been a little bit hard to write. The next chapter should be out in the next little while after this, though as to when I can't say…if time permits and I keep up the pace it should be out before the end of the year…hopefully ^^;. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter regardless of the long wait and continue to support 'Opposites Attract' until the very end! I haven't proofread this chapter yet, so if you find a lot of mistakes at first just be patient, I'll probably have the proper one out either today or tomorrow. Until next time then, enjoy!

"It is a song without words, without embellishment or instrumental accompaniment, the magical melody's power is meant to be found in the raw sound and prowess of one of the god's greatest creations…"

Within the peninsula's isolated clearing, shrouded in the snow and silence, Maria stared in awe at the being before her, immobilized and in disbelief at its very presence.

"Y-you, you-you-you're the-"

A gentle smile grazed the other occupants' features, instilling calmness and a sense of security within the librarian, whilst simultaneously reminding her of what would normally be found on the face of a doting father as he gazed at his child. Rooted in place, she watched the man seemingly glide across the snow's surface, the great expanse attached to his back rippling to even the slightest breeze.

"You needn't be so shocked, you've seen me once before after all," With a kind look in his eye, he stopped alongside the young girl, placing a pale, long hand gently on her shoulder.

"You're supposed to be-moon-unable to-" Flustered in a way that was not common for the librarian, the poor girl could do nothing but gawk at the being before her, unable to properly convey her thoughts and doubts.

"If surveying the earth has taught me anything as the 'Lord of Harvest,' as your kind so like to call me, it is that if opportunities are put forth they should not be ignored," The Harvest Lord's gentle, lilting tone began to slowly take the desired effect, giving the clarity that was so desperately grasped for; seeing the attentive look of the younger, the deity continued. "It seems I had enough energy to bring myself here for the time being, I have a vested interest in that little tablet after all, so having someone stumble upon it is something that must be dealt with."

A pair of eyes drifted toward the small slab snuggled within the snow, wondering to what lengths the god would go to protect it. The eyes were once again drawn to the certain notes that stood out on the tablet, as the mind reflected on the legend surrounding them. Just as they began to return their gaze to the omnificent being, a strong breeze blew between the trees, stirring up the snow and bringing along with it the faintest hints of music.

"The piece seems complete, the melody seems comprehensible enough and the harmony appears to be fine, what exactly is preventing you from saving her?"

Unfazed by the question and the knowledge behind it, the weary man sported an indulgent look, willing to provide an answer to any question the girl before him posed.

"Do you see how certain notes are more apparent than others?" The librarian nodded, no scholar's scrutiny needed to confirm what her memory provided for her. "Those are the ones which have been attained in this area so far, found by those who have a strong connection with the Goddess."

Being only a scattering of notes, it was apparent that little headway had been made in doing whatever was required to bring life to the composition. There was no clear indication of how the notes were attained either, Maria noted, not even being able to identify a clear pattern in the notes that were actually attained. She wondered once more what had brought the tablet to this area, what had drawn the Goddess to this village, where religion and faith were forsaken for other ideals.

"Every time she takes on a different form, leaves for another place or is forced onto another plane, this travels alongside her," A variety of scenes rippled across the surface of the mirror at that moment, reflecting the Harvest Lord's thoughts; an uncultivated island, small beachside town, valley, well as several other villages raced across the mythic objects liquid surface, displaying, as Maria could only presume, the previous abodes of the Harvest Goddess. "The song is meant to bring about a rebirth, often even being the means by which my-the goddess moves on."

"So without the magical melody, she is confined to a particular place?"

"Only if all the notes have been acquired can the melody actually be used, otherwise…" Not entirely answering the question, the Harvest Lord seemed to shift along with the renewed breeze, frail and vulnerable in the cold winter air.

Hearing a few other errant notes come from amongst the trees, Maria focused on the subtle nuances of the sounds coming toward her, taking into her heart the music she felt was somehow related to the object before her.

"Otherwise it is useless…it finds ways to bless it surroundings and attempt to indicate its presence, but if no one listens, than it can do but little beyond blend with the very nature that is supports."

"You are quite the quick young lady."

Surprised by the comment, Maria whirled toward its source, catching nothing but sincerity and pride in the face of her company. Feeling a renewed burst of confidence and honored for having received such a high compliment (one just doesn't get praised by one of the creators of the world everyday after all) she continued putting forth her observations.

"If the Goddess has been around for so long, isn't it strange that so few notes have been found then? As you put it, the Goddess has taken on several different forms and traveled frequently, if this," the librarian motioned to the stone slab before her. "Is needed in full form to do so, how has she managed to escape the sentence imposed on her without it?"

"It has been complete before."

"Than why isn't it now…"

"It…how to put this in modern terms…it resets itself in a way…" said the deity, his voice barely carrying over the rising wind, as it whipped the snow around the two in a chaotic kind of dance.

"Reset…" It was hard for the mayor's daughter to wrap her mind around the idea that a piece of stone could be completely wiped clean and 'reset,' despite having faced a myriad of mythical entities in the last few seasons, it was not something that seemed plausible to her, especially considering the detail of the slab.

Nodding slightly, the god continued his explanation: "When the Goddess transforms or goes to a different location, the stone reverts back to its original state, symbolizing the change that is meant to come and acting as a gauge of an areas connection to the Goddess."

"But why make something so powerful and vital for the Gods success be forced to rebuild itself time and again, why not have created it without limitations, it would certainly allow for a faster response and facility of action."

"Are you aware of the legend surrounding the magical melody and wishes, young one?"

Silence enveloped them then, with not even the waves disturbing the sudden calm that permeated the peninsula at that moment. Remembering what she had read beforehand and her reason behind going to find the magical melody, she cleared her throat uncomfortably, breaking through the mute that accompanied the snowy blanket that covered the world.

"Those who find the complete tablet, understand its significance and truly believe in the Goddess' abilities may ask for anything they do so desire from those in the highest power…"

"Having such power, bringing the Goddess to the height of her abilities, the melody is a testimony of peoples faith in the nature around them, as well as their fulfillment of the Goddess wishes in regards to the land and one another. If the melody were to be forever complete, there would be no way for we who look upon this world to judge how well it is treated, no manner in which to control the cycles this world goes through as the land and people decay from greed, neglect and abuse. Its ability to grant wishes would also become more treacherous than rewarding in the end, as fights would spawn over its use, it would be yet another object for mankind to quarrel over and corrupt," The Harvest Lord's voice took on a very sad tone then, with yet more images flashing across the surface of the mirror at lightning speed; it fascinated and also saddened the librarian as she thought of just how many things the Harvest Lord must have seen whilst looking down upon the earth.

"At this point, even if mankind were to quarrel over its use their efforts would most likely be for nothing. There are so very few who still believe in the Gods of Harvest that even if they were to obtain the tablet a wish would be impossible," Maria stated, her gaze flitting between the Harvest Lord and the mirror connected to him, curious to see whether more images would form in the wide expanse of silver.

"You'd be surprised just how much pursuit makes others believes in things which they never would have paid a second glance beforehand," Running a hand shakily through his turquoise hair, he slouched slightly, a man weighed down by too much unpleasant knowledge. "Even then, the tablet can now only to be used to grant one wish before becoming powerless, only being useful in times of dire need or to transform the Goddess."

"Traveling along with the Goddess...being reborn alongside her wherever she goes…"

"It rises from the ashes along with its mistress, posing a fresh challenge to whomever works alongside it, a magical force that grows with the nature around it, reaching out through music to nurture it."

Another type of melody filled the air then, a gentle hum emanating from the Harvest Lord himself, as a somber string of notes sounded through the winter air.

"You helped create it more for her didn't you, you wanted to find a way to help her without actually physically being present to do so."

"It was my gift to her, something we were to use together to care for this land," Shutting his eyes, Maria was struck by how greatly this being differed from the few paintings of him she had seen, seeming much more frail and human than she had ever thought he would have been. "My blessing then became her curse, I never intended for it to imprison her in this way."

"A love that is meant to transcend all boundaries, that is the story of the Harvest Lord and Goddess."

"Or so the religious scribes say," Looking off toward the mountain as Maria kneeled back down toward the slab, the Harvest Lord whispered. "Young one, do you know what it means to love?"

Staring forlornly at the place where his lure had disappeared into the water, Ray could focus little on the task before him. His mind was filled with images of blue hair, filled shelves and pressed paper, as the fisherman wondered when exactly he would be able to see his beloved mentor again. Feeling the slightest of tugs, he pulled back his rod only to sigh in frustration as yet another sunken twig appeared in lieu of a fish. Casting and sticking his rod into the soft soil of the river bank, Ray picked up his notebook, skimming through his latest additions.

"At least I'm still trying, even if she's not here to see it," he mumbled to himself, crestfallen that the librarian had yet to actually contact him since that day on the mountain. "Hope she'll be happy when she does see it…eventually."

"Don't be so pessimistic young rookie dueler, the cards seem to be indicating that something good will happen soon," A cool voice said from behind him, making him turn toward its origin. "Whether that means Maria will come back into your life, you'll get to eat grilled yellowtail or you'll not find yourself forced to twirl on a bar-top to Bennie and the Jets is anyone's guess."

"Was a random reference to some romantic comedy really necessary Dia?"

"What do you two want?"

Glancing between his friend and the strange card girl, Ray couldn't help but to slowly withdraw into himself, his insecurities and secret writings much to close for comfort.

"We just wanted to check up on you and see if anything had happened with Maria since last time," said Kurt cautiously, not wanting to make his friend uncomfortable when talking about the librarian.

"Don't be discouraged either way, if anything fate has already decided which path the two of you will walk upon, natural or not you will find your way back to one another, it is guaranteed."

Feeling just the barest spark of hope at the sanatorium girl's words, Ray tried to form a proper response, one that might put him at ease as well as allow him to keep his hopes up.

"N-not yet, but hey, I'm sure she's just u-uh busy, I mean hopefully soon she'll…"

Looking down in defeat, Ray started to withdraw into himself once more, discouraged once again by the lack of contact. Barely a moment later, the sound of crunching snow could be heard as Kurt moved to pat his friend's back reassuringly.

"The match is set, the location has been decided and the weapons are made available but all the players have yet to convene, what remains before everything is drawn together?" Dia murmured to herself, her body turned toward the river as she gazed at the small black, square object that happened to be situated beside it.

Looking toward her, Ray soon realized where her eyes were directed and he hurriedly scrambled to pick up his work, hiding it from further scrutiny.

"Ray…what do you have there?" Asked Kurt, curious as to why the fisherman had become so flustered.

'I-it's, M-Maria gave it to me, I use it to um, write…stuff."

"You…write?"

A curt nod and uncertain glance at Kurt showed the two arrivals that his writing was not something Ray liked to discuss, meaning it would be better not to try and pry for any more information for the time being.

"That's great Ray."

"Writing is a marvelous pastime, despite the lack of insight for the future it provides."

Smiling nervously, Ray stood up between the two of them, holding the book tightly in one hand while scratching the back of his head with the other.

"Thanks, maybe I'll show you guys someday once Maria…well…"

The two of them nodded, looking briefly at one another to ensure they both understood the subtle longings that Ray was hinting to.

"It's just, you know how it is with worrying and all…it isn't easy to not know how someone..."

None heard the soft footfalls heading in their direction from the path not too far behind them; the three barely even registered the sudden snowfall as they stood their ground amidst the thin barren trees, dealing with the sudden silence.

"Harmony, it is something that is so common and yet so difficult to achieve unless created that way."

The two men turned to stare at the emerald-eyed girl, puzzled over what had suddenly brought this on.

"Friends, family and nature, these things can only properly function because of the symbiosis that forms between souls; a harmony achieved without issue or practice but strengthened in time."

"Dia, by harmony between people do you mean-"Kurt started, wary of why Dia had decided to start the conversation despite Ray's current feelings.

"Love."

"Ray…"

A smile crept onto the fortune teller's face, as shock quickly spread across the two boys. Looking tentatively at the voice that had just spoken, the fisherman could not help but allow his posture to relax at the sight before him, the girl he had been waiting for finally appearing before him. He couldn't help but be extremely happy.

At that moment, in the peninsula which had been occupied by two others mere moments before, a small ball of light flitted toward the ground amongst the other flakes of snow. As it neared its destination, the soft light seemed to grow and encompass the entire area, shining most brightly as it finally reached the earth beneath it.

As the light faded, little in the area had changed, the snow still fell as softly, the trees sang their haunted melody alongside the wind and the sound of the waves retained a constant tempo. On a stone slab in the clearing, one engraved with a melody much older than the world itself, a deeper edging was becoming more visible; a new note had been found.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

_A/N: Erm…well…it's been two years hasn't it? Oh how the time flies. ^^;;; Anyways, here's another overdue chapter for those who have been patient enough to wait. Thank you everyone for sticking with the story until this point, I know it's been a long and sometimes silent journey, but hopefully it will all be worth it in the end. Until then, enjoy the newest chapter and the events leading up to the Starry Night Festival. Also...should I mention that the next chapter is the last and the climax? I suppose I should..._

A romance – Fledgling. Growing. Weakening?

A quest – Beginning. Moving. Succeeding?

A festival – Approaching. Exciting. Life Changing?

A girl – Worth Everything

The sun was barely raised when the elder man took his first step into the cavern. With unencumbered steps he ventured into it cautiously, in awe of the brilliance of the cave's unnatural illumination; the room was completely barren save for the stone figurine at its front and center, a human shape frozen in its plea to the heavens. He heaved a troubled sigh, patting his graying hair thoughtfully as he took in the saddening situation before him.

"Infuriating…"

"Jamie you shouldn't be so pessimistic, you did agree to this after all."

Turning through the stale air, the man turned toward his companion, the minute sunlight giving his hat a strange halo. The old man found himself going over the same probable theory that Jamie was directly related to the Goddess in some way, before shaking off the notion, knowing the chances of such were near nonexistent. The purple-haired boy did little but glare back at him, poncho held close to his body in a defensive posture.

"I _was_ talking about the way this place was being taken care of not anything else."

"It's difficult to tell sometimes young man, very hard at times."

"Young man? Oh please."

Raising his eyebrow at the comment, the elder man took a step further out onto the small island that he was standing on, stopping on the very edge before the greater island that housed the frozen being.

"It's as bad as we feared, only the melody can save her now; a spell can be broken by only the caster after all."

"I'm not here for a lesson, just see what you came to and be on your way."

"But Jamie I thought we'd agreed-'

Raising a hand, the younger stopped the flow of words coming from the older man's mouth: "I agreed that we would work on this together but we really don't have a reason to be here at the moment."

"You hardly ever visit Jamie," came a shrill voice, coming out of the surrounding woodwork of the room. The old man turned towards it, surprised that it belonged to three small elves that seemed to have materialized before him.

"Maybe it's because there's no point if all I'm going to be doing is staring at a hunk of rock."

"Maybe it's because you're scared!" Quipped another of the smaller individuals.

"Jamie has a point," the older man cut in at last, moving the shaggy hair out of his eyes in order to peer around him once more. "I just needed to see it for myself and see if there was something else that could possibly be done…"

"We only have one option and we've discussed it at length; I like the idea, we know how we're going to execute it, let's just move on."

Resigning himself to his ally's decision, he made his way around the three sprites and headed towards the entrance of the cave, throwing around several hardened, memorizing glances to the caves around him.

"Good luck Jamie! Bring your friend back too sometime!"

Gazing coldly at the munchkin elf, the poncho-wearing farmer gravitated toward the older man's side, paying little heed to the elder's studious eyes.

"Come on David, we have more things to do right now."

David had spent a majority of his life contemplating his place in the universe, searching for the truth behind faith and rationality. With little money or time, he had reached spiritual enlightenment and fulfillment through more mundane means, vowing to use his newfound knowledge to shape a better world. He had come to understand kindness, happiness and other feelings. He had tried to convey these life-lessons to his only son. He looked sadly at Jamie, wishing his child could appreciate the Goddess in the same way as this young man.

As a man well ahead in his years he had reached full fulfillment at last. He had found the Goddess.

Dia and Kurt had decided to distance themselves, well aware that the other two needed privacy and that they could discuss things at a later time. The silence weighed upon the small clearing, its unfamiliarity making the distance between the librarian and fisherman unbearable and awkward.

Ray shuffled from side to side nervously, his eyes flickering to and from the woman before him.

"So er, um, how have you been Maria?"

The imposed distance was almost intolerable for her, a stark contrast to how they normally interacted when in one another's presence. Maria had not thought twice when she had asked the pony-tailed boy for time, she had understood that what she needed to do had to be done alone, now she was beginning to regret her decision. Maybe the imposed distance had only served to sever the close bond they had.

"I've been well Ray, though admittedly much better now than I was before, but I didn't come here to discuss that," Her gaze had not wavered as she spoke, her eyes seeking contact from the pair in front of her. "I owe you an explanation, as well as an apology."

"What for?"

A soft smile grazed the blue-haired girl's features, "I think you know what for."

"I-I get it, don't h-have to explain," Ray stuttered, his nervous shuffling had been replaced by hand-wringing, his body tense with nerves and yet he still refused to make eye-contact with the woman before him. "You were emotional 'cause your mom's death; you needed to time to sort yourself out, it was hard for you to remember all that."

"My mother died years ago and, as you saw, I do still get emotional, but that isn't the reason why I needed some time alone."

Wincing, the fisherman took a small step back and bowed his head, mistaking Maria's words as something hostile. Tiring of this imposed distance, and made more than a little sad about how Ray was acting, the blue haired girl decided enough was enough.

Before the boy could look up, the librarian had crossed the distance that separated the two, stopping less than a meter in front of him. Maria gripped the sides of her skirt, afraid that if she did not restrain herself she would take things a step too far by touching him.

In a soft tone, she said: "Ray, look at me."

Much like the day on the mountain, a cold, bone-chilling wind swept through the clearing, making the blue-haired girl more inclined to close the small gap between them. She loosened her grip slightly, her eyes trailing Ray's downcast face. The boy was immobilized, his shyness around woman kicking in at the worst time possible and leaving him mentally scrambling at the personal-bubble invasion the librarian had initiated.

Unable to control herself, Maria reached for his left arm, grasping the soft material of his tunic shirt.

In a firmer tone, she muttered: "Ray, _look _at me."

He tilted his head up slightly, his body now stock still and completely tense. The fisherman could barely breathe for the siren before him was so close, her soft scent invading his senses. The sensory overload was driving his already fragile mental state to the brink.

"Am I seriously thinking about sirens right now? I can't believe I'm thinking about _myths _at a time like this!" Ray thought to himself, his mind running a mile a minute. "Goddess this woman has me _whipped_."

"Ray…" She cupped his chin, lifting his head so that she might meet his eyes.

His swirling blue eyes told her all she needed to know. His panic, his confusion, his hurt. She saw everything.

Without hesitation Maria leaned closer and, before Ray could freak out further, joined her lips to his. She held his lip between her own in a chaste kiss, applying only the barest of pressure and moving her hand to cup the boy's cheek gently.

After only a moment she pulled away, eyes reopening before the librarian could acknowledge that she'd closed them. Her brown eyes scanned his face, noticing the cherry tomato tint and the glazed look in the eyes that finally connected with her own.

"I needed time to think about this," she said to him, voice soft and barely above a whisper. "No one's ever been there when I visited my mother; no one's ever been there for me emotionally like you have. I've adored the times we've spent together. They were beyond anything I ever imagined, even if I was tutoring you."

"I-you-I," The fisherman was well beyond words, a fact that the girl in front of him could see.

"I've never felt so liberated with anyone else."

At the shaggy-haired boy's confused look, Maria couldn't help but let out an uncharacteristic giggle.

"It means I love being around you silly, I've never been able to truly be myself around anyone else."

"Maria-" Ray had finally regained the ability of speech. "This is what you needed time to-?"

She looked down shyly; her hair shielding her eyes from view.

"Yes, I needed to fully come to terms with it, I'm sorry for putting you through such melancholy."

The confusion continued to grace his features. "I still don't get it."

Maria sighed before shaking her head in order to clear her thoughts. She really couldn't believe this boy sometimes, he amused her to no end. A small smile tugged the corners of her mouth upward.

"Shall I teach you then?"

On that brisk morning in the middle of winter, in a small clearing in the woods that was as far from prying eyes as they could manage, Maria confessed what she had begun to feel over three seasons before.

Nothing disturbed the peace of the clearing, neither the birds, nor the trees, nor the gently flowing brook, as three words seemed to fill the space, a profession that felt as if it were years in the making.

"We _have_ to deal with him!"

Dan rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time, having heard this exclamation more than once in the past 20 minute rant.

"What do you want me to do about it girly? I have as much power as you do."

"How can you be so **calm**! We're in the middle of a crisis here, love is at stake!"

Dan remained silent for a moment, absorbed in the task of grinding frozen very berries to a messy pulp. Katie fidgeted on the spot, impatient and nervous about how unprepared they were to deal with the wrath of one very stout mayor.

"Kates, this really isn't our business," Dan finally conceded, finishing off his batch of soda and pouring the concoction into an empty barrel nearby.

"Our friends are in trouble, they clearly can't do anything on their own, we can help them. Clearly this is our business!" The younger girl wrung her hands, more than a little fidgety before she broke out into a wide smile. "Did you just give me a nickname?"

"We already made a game plan with everybody else during the meeting, we just have to lay back and wait."

"But Theo is going to ruin everything," Katie whined, huffing as she turned her head away from the tanned boys work. "Now's the time to do something about it."

The boy let another minute of silence sweep through the orchard house, storing the freshly made brew for later shipment. Wiping his hands on a nearby towel, knowing that the prolonged action would grate on the girl's nerves, he clicked his tongue twice in an unspoken reprimand.

"Don't get snippy with me; I'm just looking out for my girl."

Finally, Dan moved to lean against the front of his workstation, smiling disarmingly at the brunette.

"I can see that, and I'm not holding it against you, I'm just wondering if everyone's not just being a whole lot of overdramatic about this thing."

Katie shook her head; the boy still didn't get it. "Theo is really bad when he flips out Dan, and I'm not talking about the typical stay-away-from-my-daughter lecture bad either."

The dark-skinned boy quirked an eyebrow, slightly confused.

"Just what kind of authority does he have over Maria anyway? She can make her own decisions."

Nope, he definitely didn't get it. "He's the _mayor_ Dan."

"So?"

"He'd probably send Maria off to another college, or revoke Ray's fishing license. Theodore has limitless power here; he can be, like, Caligula, if he wanted to."

Another quirked eyebrow, "Caligula?"

"He was a Roman dictator or something; I'm a little sketchy on the details. Anyway, Theo has free reign, so Goddess only knows what he'll do when he gets a hold of the two of them."

"You're freaking out over nothing. Have you ever even seen him _do_ anything in town? I think the most our mayor has ever come to fulfilling his duties is giving land to that farmer," said Dan, quietly smirking at the absurdity of the remark. "He doesn't even sell the land around here anyway."

"That top-hat wearing potato-eater is going to stop something beautiful, something that isn't even official yet!

The two faced off, gazes never wavering from the one before them. The waitress's features hardened significantly, placing even more emphasis on just how grave the situation was. Her gossip partner looked on for several minutes more, as determined as ever to prove that his friend could fend for himself.

Needless to say, they were both too stubborn to give up their opinions.

Ronald's loud slamming of the orchard villa door broke their trance, his rambunctious chatter about the new shipment of Starry Night ornaments bringing about small smiles.

Without a word, the young orchard worker bobbed his head in consent; shrugging his shoulders in apparent defeat.

He'd help the petit aspiring baker in protecting a fledgling love.

The gambling traveler was going to confront Flowerbud's mayor.

"Let's stop the predator before he reaches his prey, shall we?"

###

They huddled shoulder to shoulder, blue and brown brought close by the brisk morning temperature. A pinkish hue stained the fisherman's skin, spanning the territory between the upper curve of his ear and his cheeks, leaving a faint burning sensation buzzing to dance along his face.

Ray peered out of the corner of his eye at the librarian, eager to relearn the features he had so dearly missed. Another feminine chuckle graced his ears, as the young man's blue eyes connected with her mocha-chocolate browns; he turned sheepishly away as a result, scratching his head in embarrassment.

"So…" Ray muttered, now feeling all the more as if he were fishing rather than dealing with love.

He had the big one within his sights; everything was going according to plan, but the slightest movement on his part – the merest rocking of the boat – would scare it away.

Maria nodded encouragingly, going and grabbing the fisherman's hand gently. The action made him even more flustered, the blush staining his cheeks turning a light crimson.

"If my fairytales are anything to go by, I would think your reactions to my advances meant that I'm the one wooing _you_," the blue haired woman slyly stated with a teasing smile in place.

The brunette spluttered, completely taken aback by her forward words.

"I-er-uh, I-I just don't know what to say."

"We've known each other for quite some time now; I don't think you need to feel shy around me anymore."

The young-man scratched the back of his neck again, "I'm just not sure what to do…

The librarian only linked her fingers with his in response, her lips slightly upturned in a gentle smile. Drawing their two hands close, Ray understood that Maria was trying to put him at ease through the simplicity of the action. Words could not capture what needed to be said - she needed to show him.

A warm light filtered in through the bare branches overhead, their soaring heights casting grayish shadows that reminded Ray of the churches his father loved so much. The fisherman basked in the warm glow that descended upon the riverbank, closing his eyes to appreciate the peacefulness of the moment. There were many things he barely grasped, there even more things that were way over his head, but at least this physical unity he could understand.

"You needn't worry so much about what to do," Her thumb stroked the palm of his hand. "As I was saying before, it isn't as if we've barely spent any time around one another. Our time together shouldn't affect how we act around one another."

Again, the fisherman went to scratch the back of his neck, flustered by the implication in her words. His next words came out in a rush, his shyness getting the better of him.

"Will you go to the Starry Night festival with me?"

An extremely enthusiastic - but ladylike - nod was his only response.

Michael rushed after the stocky, top-hated maniac at a quick trot, frantically glancing from side to side as he attempted to catch up. For his rotund stature, the man in red could set quite the pace when seeing in the same color; the mayor's rage pushed through every obstacle in his path. Theodore was on the mission of a lifetime: save his daughter from the hobo.

"Ungrateful ragamuffin - last time I let him filth up my town - that crazy _stinky __**hobo**_-"

"Now Theodore you do know he isn't _actually_ a hobo right? His shack is just outside the town limits-"

"THAT FILTHY HOBO IS OUT TO SULLY **MY **MARIA'S FUTURE!"

Michael sighed for the hundredth time that day, more than a little weary of Theodore's raging. The mayor seemed insatiable, a bundle of ire bent on splitting the completely inappropriate – at least according to him – pair that had just come to his attention. Michael wasn't entirely certain why the two displeased him so, but by the Goddess the junk-shop owner was going to find a way to stop his friend from doing something stupid.

"Theodore, could you just slow down!" At last the blue-haired man managed to get a firm grasp on the mayor's shoulder, pulling the angry man to an abrupt halt. "Just take a second will ya'?"

The man in red let out an agitated huff, tapping his foot as he spun in place. Michael saw the eyes of his friend of some odd years land upon him, recognizing immediately the stubborn set of his brow and determined glint in his eye.

"Now Theo, I've said this once and I'll say it again, maybe it's best if you leave the two of them alone. They're not teens anymore; they can make their own decisions."

"Just because they aren't kids doesn't mean they don't need guidance _Mikey_."

Michael grimaced at the childhood nickname that had fallen out of fashion. Whenever anyone got mad at him nowadays they seemed to pull out the wretched thing, taunting and jabbing at him with harsh words and 'friendly' monikers while mocking his naiveté. A hand patted down blue hair carefully as he tried to reign in his thoughts, willing forth confidence to defend against the potential onslaught.

"It isn't right to smother her like this."

"I only have her best interests at heart Michael!" Theodore's voice was terse, going to full on defensive as he spoke. "People do crazy things when they think they're in love, namely running away and getting pregnant before the age of twenty, before being married in an off-the-road chapel and living in a trailer park."

"So you think Maria's going to…elope…with _Ray_?" The junk-shop owner's incredulous expression clearly indicated what he thought of it all.

"WHAT! MARIA'S GOING TO ELOPE WITH RAY!" Michael was not impressed by how high Theo's voice had gone – for the record, it had reached an area right above squeaky, clearing the enthusiastic Ann line and nearing the normal Nina head voice.

"That's what _you_ said was going to happen if their relationship were to continue," Theodore stared at the store-owner owlishly and opened his mouth to speak again. "And before you deny it, yes you did and yes, you did jump to that silly conclusion before ever actually confirming that they were together."

"The whole village is talking about them, of course they must be together; don't be naïve Michael!"

The junk-shop owner cringed at the connotation. "Rumors are rumors are rumors, don't freak out over something that might not be real. " Michael finished it off with a tut-tut, staring down the mustached man before him.

The powdery layer atop the compacted snow drifted lazily along the open lot beside the two men, catching and resting among the few remaining rotten stakes surrounding it. The business owner noted that the weather was milder now than it had been even the day before, the wind like a gentle caress rather than a harsh sting when skin was exposed. The mayor, just starting to lose the red hue of his gaze, turned toward the library across the way. The closed lights, drawn blinds and general quiet air told him that the building was otherwise unoccupied.

It wasn't Monday.

Suddenly bug-eyed, Theodore whipped back toward Michael, sputtering unintelligible words as he turned. Once more, the younger of the two quirked an eyebrow before going to look at what his friend had turned to before. Noticing the same tall-tale signs, he face-palmed at his terrible luck and the horrible timing of the situation.

"Theodore don't jump to any conclu-"

"THEY'VE ELOOOOOPED!" The mayor wailed into the winter air, his voice nearing hysteria.

A flurry of footsteps off to the side of the café went unnoticed, made unimportant by the new information that the two older men were faced with.

Tentatively, Michael went to place a hand on the older man's shoulder, hoping to infuse calm in the red-faced mayor.

"We don't know anything yet," he spoke slowly, sky blue pools boring into dark chocolate. "She could be out for a number of reasons; you can't just assume she's only going out to see him."

The large top-hat wobbled from side-to-side, following the sharp movements of the head they were attached to. Dark eyes looked sharp and yet unhinged, looking for all the world like they were attempting to process what the younger man was trying to say.

"It's just a rumor Theo, nothing more."

The flurry of footsteps returned, now positioned directly behind the two gentlemen who stood by the Callaway Café. Four meddlesome young adults, all rosy-cheeked and indignant, had scurried in haste in the hope of crossing paths with the mayor, wanting to prevent their prey from seeking out its own. The mixed group now stood huddled together, standing so close for both support and warmth in these hostile conditions. The next words mumbled out were lost on the rambunctious group, said too softly to be carried to them.

"Do you really believe they aren't true Michael? Could all the talk that's been going around really just be gossip?"

"Trust me," the junk-shop owner smiled in relief, a possible break-through in sight. "You shouldn't always believe the stories they spread around here. Maria and Ray aren't anything beyond friends at this point. You shouldn't be worrying about this."

Theodore sighed, hanging his head and shifting from side to side. "I suppose you're right, they likely aren't anything more than rumors. I'm probably just looking too much into this, I should stop trying to meddle in my daughter's affairs…"

The group then decided to finally spring into action.

"Not so fast!" cried out a high-pitched feminine voice.

Startled, both elder men turned toward the noise; a finger-pointing Katie greeted them.

"We won't let you pass," the sole boy in the group stated with bravado.

Their eyes shifted to Dan, who had struck up a cheesy pose that struck them as being straight out of a 90s cartoon. Looking beyond them, Theodore and Michael saw the remaining members of the posse; Gwen and Eve made up the rear of the group, both of their expressions set and hard. All of them seemed geared for a fight.

"We won't let you go through with it Theodore," Gwen, hands perched on her hips, said in a grave tone. "We _can't_ let you ruin them, we won't."

Michael knew where this was going, he was absolutely certain he knew where this was going and it definitely wasn't anywhere good. His eyes widened dramatically, and he hoped that that alone would prevent the kids from doing anything stupid. He'd _finally_ gotten Theo to calm down and Goddess knew how long that took. It took only one of Dan's snarky grins for him to realize he'd need a plan B. He exchanged his bulging wide-eyed look for more frantic head-shaking. It had a similar effect - or lack thereof.

"You've known Gwen and I since we were pea-sized, watching as we grew and learned the ways of the world. You know we wouldn't stand in your way unless we really believed in what we were fighting for," Eve's lilting voice floated on the breeze, a hardened edge present in her tone. "The two of them aren't fooling around, there's more than just lust involved here."

The Mayor blinked. Once, twice and then three times, his eyelids drooped and reopened to reveal his unerring stare to the young adults. Katie broke out into a cold sweat at the tension they created, a feat in itself considering the cold winter air. The other older man tensed, preparing himself for the inevitable meltdown that was going to take place.

"More than…lust?"

"Yeah big T, their love is a hundred-and-two-percent _G-E-N-U-I-N-E_, you need to just give them a chance to let it blossom and grow." Gwen moved her hands for emphasis, not at all paying attention to the blank expression her audience sported.

"Their…love…"

The blue-haired man felt suddenly hopeful, thinking that maybe the Mayor's newly reached resolution would prevent him from understanding the meaning behind the vague words.

"Yea Gramps, Ray and Maria's love," Dan said, grin still firmly in place though clearly less prominent.

Well there went that hope.

Theodore's eyes bulged, his hands suddenly forming tight fists at his sides. A sudden fear swept among the younger four, as they dodged his intense stare and opted for looking at each other doubtfully.

"THEIR WHAT!" A vein seemed to be popping from the side of the stocky, black-haired man's neck and his eyes had taken on a mad glint. Michael wondered why his friend was reacting so passionately and taken aback; he'd been ranting about it only moments before after all.

The four youths cowered, blown away by the extent of the Mayor's anger and slightly confused over his obliviousness.

"Didn't you know?" squeaked out Katie. "The two of them are an i-"

"What Katie means to say Theodore, is that the two of them love each other in a friend sense," Michael could have smacked himself for the stupidity of his idea, but he was desperate. "These four just don't want you getting in the way of that. Maria and Ray do well with helping one another, coming in between them would completely ruin their unique relationship and support system."

All four didn't hesitate to quirk their eyebrows at the taller man, all easily seeing through the spotty cover-up Michael had just conjured from thin air. The glasses-adorned Mayor, still seeing in a light shade of red, seemed to be calmed by the poorly-constructed statement, his eyes blinking to normality once more.

"So they don't mean anything to one another?"

"From a strictly romantic standpoint, yes."

"But they're…friends?"

Michael rubbed his temple in slight frustration. "Yes, yes they are friends and that shouldn't be a problem. They do well by one another and teach each other things. Everything's perfect between them as far as friendship goes."

Theodore tentatively turned towards the youngsters, seeking their agreement to the spoken statement. Behind him the shopkeeper, not at all covertly, glared at the intruders, willing them to be silent. Four nods after a moment of deliberation between them (which thankfully went unnoticed by the questioning man) cleared his mind of further doubt.

"Yep! Nothing at _all_ special between those two, nothing but some good old-fashioned, dependent ridden, friendship," yelped Katie, desperate to cover her tracks. She had come expecting to fight for a young couples' right to love, not to try and hide it from one of their parents.

The mayor seemed to deflate in relief; shoulders sagging and arms left loose at his side. It seemed as if all of his worry had been for naught.

"Good then," he spoke good-naturedly, his tone taking on the fatherly rumble it often did around the younger villagers.

The four youngsters shifted awkwardly, uncertain with how to proceed in this situation and all were debating whether or not to just run for it. Michael's features had crumbled in relief much like his friend's, beyond pleased that he would no longer have to deal with an over-reacting stocky-man.

"So there isn't anything to worry about then, everything is as it should be."

###

The town buzzed with the hurried movement of busy bodies and quick preparations, the once heavily covered paths now well-worn and slush-ridden. Most of the adults in the village were adorning their houses with festive garlands, lights and the occasional piece of mistletoe, hoping to kill two birds with one stone and decorate for two upcoming festivals. Much of the work pertaining to the first festival, which most of the younger villagers argued was the most romantic of the year, was left to the youngsters to sort out. Thus the frantic activity was largely conducted by those with extravagant ideas in mind, as supplies were limited and needed to be bought in a hurry if one wanted to impress.

Ray, on this particular day, could not be counted amongst his friends in preparing for the big romantic event. Rather, he was cooped up on the second floor of the sanatorium, hand in Maria's, as the two faced the other young couple seated across from them, and receiving very strange looks.

"So wait, you're expecting me to believe that you've both _seen_ the Harvest Goddess and that _you've-_" Kurt said incredulously, staring pointedly at Maria with a less-than accepting expression. "-spoken with the Harvest Lord?"

"Now I on the other hand," Dia spoke, her voice taking on its usual calm tone. "Cannot understand how you, Kurt, can't believe this. Especially considering your current knowledge of the cards…I'm terribly disappointed."

The face of the bandana boy resembled a stone relief, his eyes hard and piercing whilst his mouth was firm and unmoving. Firmly crossed arms completed the image, as he opted for glaring in stony silence at the two across from him. Ray had the distinct feeling that the hardened façade was held in the hopes of casting off the card girl's reaction. The fisherman knew he wasn't, by any means, a love expert, but he figured that disappointing your crush wasn't a good thing.

"I still find all of this a little farfetched…"

"Again, considering how good you've gotten in understanding the cards of late, as well as how accustomed you've become to seeing their results, this small concession should easily be made." Green eyes twinkled, as if they were setting themselves upon one of those same cards' secrets.

"I get magic. I mean I _do_ believe in the Harvest Goddess, it's just her being here…and the Harvest Lord legend being true…"

"We know it's a little difficult to grasp Kurt, it isn't exactly the most believable story, but you have to trust that we wouldn't be taking you for a lark," Maria said softly,

"Kurt, come on, we really need your help," the fisherman pled.

The woodsman tapped his fingers in thought, eyes now averted, "Okay, so even _if _everything you've said is true, should we really try and involve ourselves in this?" He glanced briefly at Dia, eyes quickly falling to the green material of her lap. "Is it really safe?"

"Come on! We won't be pulling off any extreme stunts…" Ray moaned in exasperation, tired of the other boy's obstinance.

The sanatorium girl's hands over her dress in thought.

"You don't need to be worried on my behalf…"

"I'm not worried about you being able to handle it Dia, I just don't think we should be involving ourselves in something like this. I've been in this village for years without hearing even a whisper about the Goddess, let alone this 'magical melody' of hers."

"Again, we know this isn't something that is a part of mainstream knowledge, nor is it the most uncouth activity, but Ray trusts you and I have no reason to believe we wouldn't faire well," the blue-haired girl's words were soft-sounding, light on the sterile air of the sanatorium.

"He really isn't this stubborn usually. Since we were first introduced, he's become much more open with the idea of divine involvement," Green eyes spared a glance for the boy, whose hair had become ruffled from one to many run-throughs. "Fate works in mysterious ways you see."

"Honestly man, if you can put up with that, what do you have hafta lose in helping us?"

"-hafta isn't a word Ray-"

A small smirk grew below the emerald eyes, "The cards have divined it Kurt."

He sighed in resignation then, letting himself sink into the couch in response. After a brief pause, he waved his hands lazily in the opposing duos' direction. "Fine, fine, we'll help you collect your 'notes'. Just…don't plan anything too strenuous okay?"

It didn't take much for the librarian to put two and two together, so her line of sight quickly flicked towards the other female in the room before a tentative smile graced her lips.

"You needn't worry about that, we'll keep all of us in mind when planning."

"Good," The carpenter nodded curtly to emphasis his point.

"So which shall we handle first?" Maria looked among her companions for any ideas.

Ray scratched his head idly, "Is there even a surefire way to get a piece of the melody?"

"According to the few written accounts involving the melody, there seem to be a multitude of means to acquiring notes and snatches of the arrangement." Antsy fingers fiddled in a grey-dress covered lap, before being snatched up by rod-calloused ones. "Unfortunately, it seems the manner of retrieval is significantly diverse and inconsistent. All we know is that it involves any sort of happiness…"

"Which means?"

"We have no idea where to start," stated the fisherman in knowing frustration.

"I have a feeling the cards will tell," Dia's voice carried, her eyes gleaming in the darkened room.

"Is there anything in that deck of yours Miss Dia, that might gives us an idea on where to begin?"

The wealthy young woman nodded, hand already reaching into her sleeve to retrieve the needed paper. Without hesitation, she slid it over the surface of the table that separated them.

"That should be what we aim to do first." She toyed with a small description attached to the bottom, straightening out its edges. "I believe what it suggests is rather self-explanatory."

The four meet each others eyes, and an agreement was reached without need for further discussion.

Their mission had just begun.

###

Three boxes filled to the brim with star decorations were casually placed on the table before them, the late afternoon sun catching the edge of one of the larger golden stars that stuck out over the edge. Many tinsel streamers and hanging stars glittered from their place between the various window rods in the room, creating the festive feel that the cake-obsessed café owner was going for.

The duo had finally managed to string up the small evergreen tree lights, after much grumbling and tangling, around the café's small doorway. They now glowed pleasantly in the bright light of the establishment, adding an extra touch of coziness to the small room. Dan and Katie had been very reluctant to help the chubby-cheeked owner at first, not wanting to have to overexert themselves in placing the vast collection of Starry Night decorations that the boy had lying around.

Yet what were the two if not accommodating?

So there they stood, with yet another set of boxes that needed to be unloaded and put to good use. The winemaker allowed himself a moment to take a sweeping look at the premises, in order to see just how much space there was left to work with. The sparkling, gaudy sight that greeted him nearly made the man gag, being a bit too much for his interior decorator sensibilities. On the other hand, his partner in crime squealed with a look of utter delight plastered on her features; this was her kind of festival.

"So where to you want to put these…er…" Dan vaguely gestured at the box before him. "Baubles."

"I was thinking about maybe putting them on the tables in a star pattern," Katie murmured with similar stars in her eyes. "Or we could string them along the backs of chairs, or arrange them in a circle on the back wall..."

"Whatever you want Kitty-kate."

"A new nickname?"

"I'm trying out a few, scoping the possibilities."

"Okay, whatever you want Dannikins~" He only grimaced in response.

Katie smiled innocently up at Dan, "But Dannikins suits you! Plus I'm scoping out the possibilities!"

"…I'll drop the Kitty-kate then…"

"Alrighty, suit yourself," Katie sing-songed, taking up one of the star links and handing another off to the boy beside her.

Flitting over to the various tables, the bubbly brunette quickly got to work, leaving Dan to begrudgingly follow suit. The two carefully arranged each set as best they could around the chairs that were littered around each flat surface, their silence broken by the occasional hum of approval. As feminine hands dipped into the open box for a third time, the quiet atmosphere of the café was disturbed by a deeper voice.

"So Katie, any news on Flowerbud's 'secret' lovebirds?"

"Nothing yet, but then everything's been quiet the past few days."

Dan nodded understandingly, his brown hair shifting slightly with the movement. He'd expected as much, things had been pretty quiet on his end too.

"Why? Did you hear something?" Katie's eyes gleamed back at him, eager beyond measure. "All the girls have been so hush-hush lately. I knew something must have happened!"

"Nah, the guys haven't been talking much either," He taped a few stars to the rim of the counter, hoping the golden gleam wouldn't be too gaudy. "Plus Ray's been MIA since last week."

The lack of bumbling fisherman hadn't gone unnoticed to the orchard worker. The shy boy hadn't frequented the bar or his usual spot by the river in the past few days; something highly abnormal for the normally routine-sticking angler. Joe had reported as much to the rest of the gang, while some of the other boys mentioned he hadn't been making his usual rounds to their houses for hanging out. It seemed the librarian was acting in much the same way, disappearing at odd hours from the library and not meeting with friends for the usual lunch dates or gatherings. Everyone was suspicious about the sudden quiet, yet it seemed the festive season had diverted most of their attention for the time being, as renewed energy was put into decorating for the romantic season.

The weird acts of the other carpenter brother, Kurt, hadn't escaped Dan's notice either, but he wasn't ready to go snoop up that tree just yet.

The comfortable silence was beginning to settle once more, much to Dan's chagrin, when an unexpected question popped out of his friend's mouth.

"So resident ladies-man, who're you taking out for the festival?"

Perfect, now was his chance.

"I was wondering the same about you actually," he mused back, a smirk curling up the corner of his mouth.

Katie bumped his hip as she passed; a similar smirk adorning her features and an empty box in hand as she moved toward the pile of trash before her.

"I asked first."

"Just answer the question," he huffed, his tone jovial.

"I don't have anyone to go with yet, though that should change soon."

Excellent, so maybe he had a shot at this.

They hadn't exactly been the closest of friends at first, definitely far from the 'buddy-buddy' of recent times. The girl had loathed his lackadaisical, womanizing ways from the onset of their meeting, knowing the way he had so casually picked up Eve and tossed her off to the side. She'd heard plenty enough from her distraught friend to know that the boy had something of a _reputation_ and that getting involved with him was a tricky affair. Even if he seemed charming, a girl _shouldn't_ fall for that. Yet, he had wormed his way through her defenses, turned himself into a friend and a mutual confidant.

It seemed gossiping _could_ actually make you friends.

Dan smirked to himself, "Yeah that'll definitely change soon."

Amongst the discarded boxes, the waitress straightened and turned, "**Have** you been holding out on me Danny? What do you know?"

"I was thinking, given that we both don't have dates and we spend nearly half our time talking to each other anyway," Dan sauntered over, a familiar glint in his eye and one hand lightly moving between the two of them, being placed on the wall behind the girl's head. "What better pair is there to go to the year's most romantic festival?"

The proximity caught the waitress off guard, her breath momentarily catching as she looked up into the amethyst glint of his eyes.

Another grin passed over his lips, as success seemed inevitable.

"So, what do you say?" He husked.

"Dan-I-"

Katie shook her head suddenly, doing her best to regain her composure and sorely missed wits that the violet eyed boy had attempted to dispel. Said boy could only feel his grin slipping in response: perhaps his success would evade him yet. More charm was the only solution.

"Just think about it Katie, you must have known this would happen eventually,"

Noticing the over-used line, the waitress allowed a smile to flit over her features.

"I don't think I did."

Not to be deterred, the winemaker soldiered on, "You have to know that I didn't want to go with anyone else, not after everything that's been going on between us the past few seasons…"

The brunette ducked under his arm, daintily placing her hand on his bicep to steady herself, "I'm afraid _I_ don't know anything about that."

Her tone was coy, clearly a mockery of his attempt at seduction. Dan could only frown further in response; he didn't normally have this much trouble, especially when he was approaching it with genuine feelings.

"We've been seeing a ton of each other for weeks now. Whole seasons have gone by with me and you passing the time gossiping and working together. Didn't you feel something during that?"

"You know those were friendly meetings Danny," Katie teased.

"Still, wasn't there something? Anything?" Any sort of flirtatious tone had fled from the wine-maker's voice by that point, a fact not entirely lost on the woman beside him. Perhaps sincerity would win over charm.

"Nope."

The small four-letter word seemed to puncture him, making his shoulders sag and his body deflate in evident defeat.

"No…"

The seriousness of the situation then seemed to hit the younger girl.

"Dan…did you think there was?" Katie asked with an awe-filled voice, amazed at the situation on her hands. She had taken him in as a friend, but she'd never considered there to be anything more. The waitress had never really expected a thing from their encounters, beyond a fun laugh or two and a moment to slack-off from café duties, yet the black-haired boy seemed to have had another impression.

Violet eyes squeezed shut as the smooth-talker floundered embarrassingly, bothered more than he normally would be if rejected. He'd spoken from the heart, out of a keen interest in the girl before him and in the hope of attending the festival so that they'd go to a whole other level. He had never felt so humiliated over a girl.

The ladies man would need to save face now.

"Nah Kates, I was only playing around," He turned his face back toward her, a light teasing smile upon his lips that did not reach his eyes. "You know me, I like to tease and flirt my way through life."

###

It was midway through the third day of operation 'Goddess Melody' (so titled by Ray) and the group had yet to have any success in finding one of those notes. History suggested that the notes were 'difficult' and 'elusive,' but the group had assumed the accounts had been exaggerated. If the melody had been completed and scattered countless times, it made sense that it must be just as easy to collect.

"_Shouldn't it?_" Maria thought to herself, as she watched the two boys plant another spruce seedling in the hardened winter earth.

They had been going at the task for the past few days, trying varying nature related activities that they hoped would incur the Goddess' favor. Any of the (few) historical texts that conveyed any information on the subject had stated that it would take little more than that, yet the educated librarian was unsure. Most of the texts had, presumably, been written during a period when the Goddess hadn't been quite so…stony, so it was unclear whether any of the suggested methods would even _work_. Furthermore, all of the stories that spoke of any great heroes saving the 'Goddess of the Harvest' through this magical composition were particularly vague on how the melody was fully formed.

The common consensus, among historians who studied any religious material on the subject and from Maria's own readings, was about giving back to the earth, either through replanting, getting rid of creatures who threatened nature's delicate balance or hosting grand festivals in the Goddess' name. The latter two didn't seem terribly forthcoming or easy to do without drawing attention, so the first was their best course of action.

What the college graduate hadn't accounted for, nor any of the other researchers who had written about the topic, was the amount one needed to replant. More precisely, there were no specifications as to what needed to be planted and what exactly 'replanting' signified. So the group had tackled the problem by any means open to them, with the dimensions of the village and Dia's delicate health being their sole limitations.

So far, they had planted a number of small seedlings in several heavily deforested areas throughout the village's wood and helped Liz care for the various plants spread throughout her home, but there had been no evident results.

"Maybe winter wasn't the best of seasons to pursue this…" the librarian sighed, more than a little discouraged. "They do say that the orchard wasn't built in a day after all."

"Perhaps we aren't quite looking at this the right way."

The blue-haired girl jolted, shocked by the presence that she'd forgotten was there. Turning to look just over her shoulder, her brown eyes fell upon the other girl in their group, who seemed to be arranging her cards on a book.

"How might we be looking at this the wrong way?"

A brief silence followed as the green-eyed girl shifted through her deck, eyes unfocused on what was before her. The librarian could only guess that her gaze was reflected inward instead.

"We may be taking the legends more literally than we are meant to or maybe our 'informed' ideas are false. Scholars aren't the only 'authority' on knowledge," Dia intoned, her voice reserved and disinterested.

Maria was taken aback by the rich vocabulary the other girl seemed to possess, unused to the variety amongst the humbler, non-knowledge flaunting villagers and certainly unprepared for what the heiress would suggest.

"_I beg your pardon?" _ The blue-haired gawked at the other woman, her voice just a shade off from a shriek. "Do you mean to cast aside _centuries_ of research on the mere _suspicion _that everyone looking, up until this point, has been a literalist!"

"Yes."

"Why I-I just," Maria spluttered, caught off-guard. "Dia, we're not nearly as knowledgeable as those who studied it before us. Even if we were to start from scratch, we wouldn't know where to begin!"

"'Knowledgeable' or 'unknowledgeable,' we're still closer than those people have ever been," muttered the rich girl. "Who out of the lot can say they saw the Harvest Goddess?"

She hesitated in conceding defeat, very unused to yielding on the intellectual field. The idea held merit, _that _Maria could acknowledge, in which case it could have a profound impact on their mission, however the thought was still unsettling. If they didn't have the research of scholars to fall back on, then what did they have?

"Perhaps the solution is to look at the legends in a different way," Dia's hand hovered over the pile of cards before her, eyes now firmly shut as she seemed to concentrate. "Think _outside_ the box."

"How?" The blue-haired girl observed the two boys who were finishing up their task. "What other way is there to look at them?"

"Maria, I'm not exactly _a_ _guru_ about this sort of thing, but you have the most tightly closed third-eye I've ever seen."

The librarian was left speechless once again, now more than a little appalled by Dia's demeanor. She may not know the other girl terribly well, but she knew _enough_ to understand that the line was a clearly an insult.

"You need to relax, let the forces that be guide your actions and comprehension of the workings of the world."

Finally, the rich girl seemed to open her eyes, taking out a single card from the pile before stuffing the rest swiftly into a pocket. Placing the leather-bound book upright on her lap, Dia proceeded to wedge the tarot card between the thick pages.

Maria's eyebrows furrowed, "Are you…partaking in some fortune telling ritual?"

The card-player had a small smile grace her features, "One could say that."

Dia let her right index finger linger on the obtruding card, even tapping it once or twice while a thoughtful look passed through her eyes. With great care, her finger dropped to the edge of the text to open it to the 'bookmarked' page.

"Here's what we have to look at," The black-haired girl turned the book toward Maria. "Now all we have to do is see."

The page contained an intricately drawn illumination of one of the Harvest Goddess' retainers. The legend associated with it was one Maria knew well.

The hero was the grandson of a lately passed farmer, a simple boy named Jack (which oddly seemed to be the name of many of the Goddess' heroes), who had returned to the village of his forefather to handle some last minute business. During his stay, a strange creature came to terrorize the villagers, attacking the innocent people of the town and stealing their crops. Out of curiosity, the boy asked around for further information, only to discover that the creature, identified as a crow, was being controlled by an evil white-haired sorceress. The people pleaded with the poor boy for his aid, feeling that he would have a much better chance in facing the she-demon that terrorized them.

Being the brave and selfless soul that he was, Jack took on the task of confronting the witch and helping the poor villagers. So he set forth, traveling into the thick wood that housed the witch's lair. For a day and a night he ventured, feeling as if it were but mere moments passing him by. When finally he alighted upon the witch's home, he noticed foul smoke rising from the building, almost as if it held a fire within. Concerned, the boy rushed into the room, only to find that the witch had been cornered by the strange crow that had attacked the village, as fire and smoke billowed from its maw. Reacting quickly, Jack deflected the bird's attention and drew it outside, before using a nearby cauldron to slay the beast.

The relieved witch had thanked Jack for his valiant action, though still begrudging of the destruction of her pet. In return for saving her life, the witch offered up one wish to the valiant hero, a wish that would grant any of his desires. In the end, rather than take riches, love or any number of things men his age desired, Jack wished for the witch to stop terrorizing his grandfather's village and leave the wood forevermore. Upon hearing of his triumph, the villagers rejoiced and celebrating their liberation from the evil woman's clutches and showered the boy with the best gifts they could offer him. Having none of it, the boy decided to take only one thing from these people; a small plot of land left behind by his grandfather, ready to be cultivated and revitalized.

The illustration before her depicted the villager's joy after the witch's departure, as the hero recounted the good news. The multiple looks of delight brightened the artwork were meant to be its focal point and it was these very things that drew the librarian's attention.

Taking a second or two to process, it didn't take long for Maria to realize what exactly she was _really_ looking at.

"I see."

###

Kurt and Ray bustled into the small trinket shop, ears and cheeks flushed pink from the cold. The _Hearty Lyla _was delightfully warm for a small shop on the outskirts of the village, with its back, front and sides exposed to the elements. The shelves to their right, laid with an intricate white and gold-leaf inlay, were stocked high with jarred confections and small crafted decorations. To their left, paintings, clocks and other wall accessories were pined to the walls, on display for any loitering customer.

"I'm afraid I've never had the pleasure of having you boys in my humble shop before," a sweet smile grazed the lips of the pink-haired woman behind the counter. "I can't say I've had the pleasure of _talking_ to you much either."

Ray stumbled for something to say, more than a little thrown off by the contrast between words and facial features. Emotion was not his forte and interpreting body language especially wasn't. Yet, the bandana boy didn't seem bothered by the girl in the slightest; turning his attention toward the room's various knick-knacks without as much as a gesture in response. Taking a tentative step forward, in the hopes of answering the pink-haired girl's accusation, it took less than a second for the girliness of the place to fully strike the fisherman.

Pale pink walls with large magenta spirals took up its surface, a burgundy mat at the door, with the usual 'welcome' message, a tiled floor that was a rosy peach, a floral script around the sills and frames of the room, with the plant-like replicas carved out and painted over with a soft red; these were the main features that bombarded Ray as he got a good look of the shop around him.

The idea of being around a woman he barely knew suddenly overwhelmed him.

"I-we're I-I'm s-s-s-so-sorry?" the fisherman fumbled extravagantly, flustered and intimidated. "I-I really don't get out much a-and K-K-Kurt and me don't s-spend much time s-so-socializing with the g-girls."

Lyla giggled cutely, seeming more than slightly amused by his embarrassment.

"I was just kidding around Ray, hun, please don't freak out. Honestly, just relax and do what you came here to do."

The simple phrase shot relief through his system.

The carpenter, non-plussed by the scene behind him, had found what he was looking for in the meantime and turned towards his companion.

Kurt motioned to a painting on the wall, apparently entranced by its beauty. "Does this seem good enough?"

Taking less than a second to look over the landscape, Ray nodded fervently back in turn, willing to approve of anything as long as it got him out of here faster.

"Okay then, 'A Flowering bud on the Horizon' by Henry Ducher it is."

Taking the mounted picture down, the carpenter gently laid the canvas on the counter before the sole female in the room. Finishing off the transaction, he stooped to once again pick up the painting, now snuggly wrapped and covered, while Ray took less than a minute to dash out of the warm hut back into the freezing cold.

Following behind much more calmly, Kurt emerged from the depths of the store holding the covered painting and stopped before the huffing fisherman.

"I really think Terry is going to like it," the carpenter murmured, shifting the painting in his grasp.

"Goddess knows the old guy needs cheering up, considering the state of things…"

"The world is changing. He can't expect nature not to as well."

"Terry just-" Shaggy hair was ruffled in the bitter winter wind. "He doesn't respond well to change."

Kurt chuckled, "I'd know, given how much time he spends around Woody's."

The fisherman let out a chuckle of his own, more than familiar of the strong bond between the two older men. There'd been many a time when he'd called upon the three carpenters only to find the older addition amongst them.

"The man's always going on and _on_ about the forest that used to be in this area and how _majestic_ the village used to be when it was around."

"Yeah? Didn't think there was much around besides a few glades," Ray responded, though it was clear that his companion was off in a world of his own.

"'Its peaceful splendor was marred, human ignorance and selfishness causing the beauty of the world to disappear," Kurt stared once more at the painting, seemingly in awe of the beauty before him. "'In this time, that of an era in which the Goddess' power wanes, the light and the natural world suffer.'"

Ray quirked an eyebrow at the boy beside him, the repeated quote worming its way into his mind and prodding his memory with its familiarity.

"A verse from the Goddess Scriptures?"

"One that Terry repeats a lot," The brown-haired carpenter paused, thinking to himself for a minute before a confused look settled, furrowing his brows. "Pretty ominous stuff, considering what's going on."

A thoughtful silence fell upon the two men, the winter hush boxing them in with only the quietest of interruptions made by passing snow flurries. Two attentive eyes now looked onto the canvas before them, taking in the rolling hills, dyed sky and plentiful Mira trees which were colored by the light of the setting sun. The view was from the balcony on Starry Hill, painted during the late summer when things seemed at their brightest. It caught the beauty of the area so well.

The fisherman took a second before humming to himself in approval; no doubt the older man would love it. "Let's get to business then."

###

The boys had scurried off not long after, with the painting safely tucked back into its protective packaging. They trod through the rest of the village in a comfortable silence, the cold wind pushing them along until they finally reached their destination: Woody's Workshop.

The main room was completely empty, devoid of Joe's jolly jokes and Woody's yelled comments on the state of his apprentices work. The faint sound of a blade being whetted, followed by the familiar clang of metal, drifted from the back of the house, easily missed in the room's quiet. Quickly zeroing in on the noise, Kurt and Ray walked toward the backroom, eager to finish what they had only recently started.

Terry was sitting comfortably on the other side of the living area, back pressed against the stack of futons in the corner, as his deft hands sharpened a knife on the surface of a smooth stone. The boards creaked under the new weight, causing the aging hunter's head to snap up.

His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized them, eyes darting over their figures quickly and analytically.

"What're you standing around for?" He grunted, clearly having found nothing of interest. "There're more important things to do than just idling around boys."

The friends kept their eyes firmly locked on the prize, untouched by the older man's indifference, being much too used to the tone when in his presence. They were quick to settle themselves around him though, legs crossed, further startling Terry from his resumed task. Kurt wasted no time in drawing the painting from its cloth prison, delicately placing it in the space between their bodies without jarring the frame.

"And what's this? Boy's shouldn't be out buying paintings when they got nothing to decorate…"

"It isn't for us," murmured Ray.

Terry simply raised a bushy eyebrow in response.

"We know how much you complain about how the people of this village ignore nature," the carpenter brought up, shifting the old man's attention away from the framed picture. "And how much it's bothered you that so much has changed around here because of it."

A frown scrunched the skin between the bushy brows, the eyes below them flecked with sadness.

"So we thought," continued Ray, voice kind. "That we'd give you a bit of the nature that you love, frozen in time so that it'd never change."

"To remind you that some things stay the same, that even if time passes, they remain beautiful."

The scrunched brows lifted, only to reveal a softened look that touched on every feature of his face. It was an expression that the two had witnessed once before, when the older man's granddaughter had stopped by one night to see how he was doing.

Kurt stepped in, knowing his quieter counterpart had finished off his part. "We saw you eyeing this," he motioned to the gift, "When Henry first showed it off in the town square, and we," he then nodded toward Ray. "Thought you would like it."

"Thank you boys," uttered Terry, his soft voice matching his expression. A look of awe had overtaken his features, brown-eyes glazed as if the artwork had thrown him into another time. "You know, that hill brings back a lot of memories…"

The do-gooders shared a glance, expressions excited at a job well done. A grin pulled up the corner of Kurt's mouth, as he witnessed Ray slightly raise his fist for a bump before realizing that it wasn't the appropriate time and pressing it into his side. His smile was too exuberant to show embarrassment. So the two younger boys settled down for one of the hunter's long stories, content with the knowledge that they'd made someone in the world just a little bit happier. The pair didn't notice the small bright light floating above them, gleaming happily for the entire world to see.

###

Simultaneously, in a small clearing on one of the village's southernmost peninsulas, a female pair attentively waited by a small stone slab.

"It worked!" A gentle feminine voice gasped, amazed by the sight before her.

Where once a faded circle had been, faint and nearly unintelligible on the staff, a much bolder outline had taken its place. The new marking looked as if it had been newly etched, with the perfect whole note chiseled deep into the grey stone. The change had been sudden, without any preamble or flashy indication to show that something important had just taken place.

One of the Goddess' magical melody notes had been restored.

"So it did."

"This is-this is, this is finally a step in the right direction. A sign of progress at last! If you hadn't made me look at the legends differently, then, oh goodness we'd never have gotten even remotely far at all," The black-haired girl paid little attention to the librarian's exuberant ramblings, as her green eyes were still trained on the stone slab. Hearing nothing in acknowledgement, said librarian turned towards her companion. "Truly Dia, thank you."

"It was fate that brought you to the answer, as the cards bring me to mine, so there's no need to thank anyone," the rich girl tapped the slab lightly with one of her cards. "Not to mention our work is far from done."

Maria nodded firmly, blue-hair swishing with the movement. Still, with renewed hope and determination, she had high aspirations for being able to see the melody to completion. With sure hands, she traced the groove of the note, more than pleased at their success.

"You're right there, but still," a light smile stretched across pink lips "This is a start."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

_A/N: So we have arrived at last. Thus we have come to an end that seemed so far away, especially to me. I'm surprised that I managed to keep with this story for so long, and I thank everyone who's stuck with it despite the many delays. I was deterred from writing this several times, either from writers block or a lack of faith in the story and its characters, yet you, the readers, always kept me coming back. _

_I really want to thank all of you who reviewed, you have absolutely no idea how much each of your words have meant to me. If not for you, I would have given up on expanding Maria and Ray's story long ago. To those who gave constructive criticism, I am most grateful, I have taken these suggestions to heart and they have since affected my writing style a great deal. To all those who read and didn't review, thank you also for taking time over the years to read this little fic. This story started on a whim and continued because someone asked me to continue and I felt my time in Flowerbud wasn't done. To Myalie specifically, thank you for always leaving such heartwarming reviews! I've loved seeing your thoughts and feelings on the events within the story; they were a wonderfully pick-me-up whenever I doubted myself. To all those who have reviewed for several chapters, thank you. If I could address you all personally, I would, but that would be slightly difficult without dragging this out more. If ever, you can contact me by pm in this account. I'd love to talk to you all more~_

_Maria and Ray's story is coming to a close, their time together far from over but no longer meant to be in the spotlight. I may write an epilogue for the story, I'm not entirely sure yet. I'll be writing other multi-chapters after this of course, but we'll see where that goes. Though if ever you're looking for another good multi-chapter to latch on to, there's always "Harvest High!" by Kuneko. (Shameless plugin is shameless)_

_ But now, without any further ado, here is the final chapter of Opposites Attract, enjoy. _

The night had finally arrived. The evening which youth from across the countryside looked forward to almost every year, a celebration known for its ability to make or break relationships. _The Starry Night Festival._

...Or to the single ladies of Flowerbud Village, girl-power-party time night.

Katie and her girls had settled in pretty quickly, having ordered a few drinks from Duke and planted themselves at their usual table at the Moonlight Bar. The crowd seemed to be a thinned out version of the usual, with most being the single leftovers of a village filled with couples. It was pretty crowded now that she thought about it.

Nina, Eve, Ann and her were flying solo for the evening, though for the love of her she couldn't understand _why_. They were some of the hottest girls out there, and from all the activity leading up to the festival, she'd thought they'd all of found dates. Guess no one had the guts to ask them. "_Well_," Katie mused. _"There's a blaring exception to that sitting right here, but its not like I could have said yes._"

She had exiled the event from her mind, not wanting to dwell on the implications of Dan asking her out. His last beau, Eve, had been devastated when he'd cheated on her with the red-haired television reporter. From what a sobbing Eve had told her, nights before the infamous yelling match and slap that had set the entire village a buzz, Dan had thought that he could relate more to the other girl because of her meandering ways. Katie couldn't get together with a guy who would do that to any girl, let alone one of her closest friends.

"Plus, wouldn't it like, be against the girl-code?" The waitress reflected, way too caught up in her own thoughts for a night of fun with the girls.

Katie couldn't do that to Eve, _wouldn't_, especially after how heartbroken she was afterward. Sure, she was friends with the guy, and nobody had complained about it, but it wasn't as if she could just _be_ with him.

The other girls were all talking amongst themselves, full of smiles and cheer for a night dedicated to friendship and forgetting about the other sex. The ringletted waitress heard snippets of the conversation, with snatches of the words _Gwen, Joe and the boys _and _horse-races on TV_ catching pockets of her attention.

"There's nothing between us anyway,"

"There's nothing between you and who, sugar?" responded Eve's husky tone.

Shocked out of her thoughts, and by the last person she'd want hearing them no less, Katie smiled nervously at her blond-haired friend.

"Ah, nobody! Just thinking about something silly that Dan brought up the other day," _Goddess, I'm even using him to lie now_.

"Hey Katie, why didn't you ask _Joe_ out tonight?" giggled Nina, bubbly as ever. "We know how much you get along with him~"

The brown haired waitress raised a delicate eyebrow; what in the world had brought that on.

"I haven't seen much of him and really," she tossed her hair over her shoulder. "I'm not that interested. He can be fun to talk to, but only in small doses."

Ann hooted, "Catty much, eh Katie?"

The waitress smirked to herself, proud that her slightly mischievous ways preceded her. A burning stare on the side of her face drew her attention, involuntarily making Katie's head swivel in that direction to relieve the feeling. Ruby eyes were there to meet her, gleaming in the dim oil lamps and analyzing the laid-back posture of the girl before her.

"Something bothering you sugar?" A tongue peaked out to soften equally ruby lips, setting the brunette waitress' nerves on edge.

The girl in question felt herself panic for a moment, unsure of just what exactly the blond could possibly mean. The bar server couldn't have known about her ex's invitation; no one else in the town knew, so it definitely could not have gotten back to her. Katie had been acting cool and nonchalant about the Dan topic all night, so that definitely couldn't be it either.

"_What could she know?" _ Katie wondered to herself. _"And Goddess, how do I respond to that question!?"_

"Er, no Eve, nothing's bothering me," the ringletted brunette remarked, casually flicking her nails against the tabletop.

"Are you sure? Something seems, well, _different_ about you."

"Different?" Katie squeaked.

"I don't know. It just feels like there's something different about you."

The girl fidgeted, extremely uncomfortable and unsure about how she should handle the conversation.

"I don't know what you mean…"

"Yeah Kates! Even with all the usual gossip, it feels like you've been holdin' something back!" Chirped Nina, momentarily drawn from her conversation with Ann and the other girls. "Got some other big news up your sleeve somewhere?"

_Kates_. "Naw, it's nothing girls, I'm just a bit bummed about the turn-out this year, that's all."

"You're bummed because of _that?"_ Ann blinked back at her, confusion swirling in her brown eyes. "But you were the one who suggested this ladies night. 'We've all ended up alone on Starry Night before, so why not be together right?' Wasn't that what you said?"

"I - I did, but, you know, just 'cause I suggested this doesn't mean that I like it," Katie's bottom lip pushed out in a slight pout. "Just consider how popular we used to be in high school!"

Ann tilted her head, curiosity all over her face. "Sure, but boys still weren't enough to be worried about then," The inventor was more than a little perplexed about the waitress' sullenness. "Honestly, they weren't and still aren't worth the trouble."

Katie nodded in a non-committal way, not in the mood to explain herself or discuss things with Ann. If only she was so lucky.

"Anniiieee, don't be such a Debbie-downer!" The pink-haired girl huffed. "Yeah, boys were toys back then, but it doesn't mean we didn't like being around 'em! Plus, now we're old enough to be _in love_ and what's more important than that?"

Oh Nina and her 'romantic' heart.

The blonde's answering tone was one that could cut through butter. "We aren't all as optimistic as you when it comes to love Nina. Romance can't always come first," she waved off-handedly, not caring about the brusqueness of her words. "Anyway, didn't we come here to _not_ talk about men?"

Quick nods followed, despite the rhetorical nature of the question. The brunette fought back the urge to roll her eyes, momentarily annoyed at the sheep like mentality of her friends. Suddenly she wondered whether Gwen, with her night in with Bob, Joe and Blue at Woody's, was having a better time watching the horse races than Katie and the girls were.

The thought had barely registered before the door to the bar was slammed open, the resulting bang causing everyone inside to turn toward the intruder. A blur of red and dark brown burst through the frame moments later, barreling toward the girls table before stopping abruptly at Katie's side.

"_Katesemergencygottagonow," _sputtered an out of breath, red-in-the-face Dan before snaking a tan hand around Katie's wrist. With a quick tug and not a second look sparred for the other people at the table, he dragged her out of the bar door and into the cool night air.

When they had finally left the bar a distance behind them, the orchard worker released the hold on her wrist, his panting finally dying down. Without a cue, the two of them turned to face one another, the ringletted brunette more than anxious about what the boy in front of her had to say.

"We need to talk," Dan wheezed, his words swallowed by the eerily silent night. Katie could only quirk a delicate eyebrow in response. "And we have a problem."

"What kind of problem?" The waitress asked, bewildered. "Couldn't it wait?"

"Theodore heard that Ray was bringing Maria to Starry Hill," Dan rushed out. The news had spread like wildfire among the friends of the couple, who had been extremely excited by the information Ray had let slip to Joe on one of their joint fishing days. "Somehow Doug found out and blurted it out to the entire Inn and now he's in a rage. He thinks they're _actually_ going to elope."

Katie gasped, understanding the severity of the situation, before doing a double-take. "Wait – he thinks they're going to elope?" She gave Dan a puzzled look. "Why?"

The orchard worker waved his unoccupied hand for a minute, as if looking for a way to explain it, before giving up and shaking his head. "I haven't got a clue. All I could understand while he was foaming at the mouth was that 'Ray is a bum who shouldn't even' –uh – 'even presume to be blessed by the pure, intelligent presence of his Maria' or something like that," Dan rolled his eyes, only to look heavenward exasperatedly. "Old people, I don't think I'll ever understand how they tick."

Katie scrunched her forehead in thought, tugging a stray ringlet as Dan pulled at her arm so that they could start moving.

"It couldn't have something to do with that urban legend right?"

Dan returned to looking at her, violet eyes trained on her petite features. "Urban legend? What are you going on about Kates?"

_Kates._ Katie felt slightly warmer, and she wasn't too sure why. "I just remember the girls talking about it once. Maria had mentioned it actually…"

"Okay Kates, thinking is great and all, but this is the time for _action_."

Katie used her other hand to hold Dan's, making him freeze for a moment. "Just a sec, this is really bugging me."

The boy's pupils seemed to dilate momentarily, his eyes lost, before they snapped back to reality. He started tugging on the waitress' arm with a renewed force.

"Explanations can come _later_; right now we need to find Kurt and that Dia girl."

Katie started to let herself be pulled along, her mind taken by the unusual combination mentioned.

"Wait, Kurt and _Dia_? Why are we finding _them_?" Katie was now even more confused.

As Dan maneuvered them along the snowy streets, the two passed the brightly lit Callaway Café, its light illuminating the two in the cold, barren nighttime winter wonderland that was Flowerbud village.

Dan took to waving his hand again, as if trying to speed them along. "Kurt was there with Dia when it happened, and they said that they wanted to help. Or, well, Kurt said that, the Dia girl just said something about cards and fate and other weird stuff," They were in front of one of the Café's windows, the warm and bright inside reminding Katie of the other day with Dan. "But anyway, I didn't think any one else would want to deal with grunge match 'Crazy Mayor vs. Whipped Fisherman: Winner gets to keep the cute little librarian' that was gonna take place, so I took what I could get. Oh, and I came to find you."

With a few more hurried steps, they'd cleared the Café and were on the bridge. The bandana boy momentarily faltered, before coming to a stop in the middle and turning back towards Katie.

"You don't mind right? Sorry I took you away from your little girlies, but I thought you'd want the latest."

Katie let herself get lost in his violet eyes for a minute, taken aback by the sudden stop and abruptly unable to regain her bearings. It took her a minute before she snapped out of it and took a step back, distancing herself from her friend.

She tried to give a reassuring and confident smile, "Duh, I always want to be on top of the latest gossip, so of course I don't mind." The cocky attitude made her a little more at ease. "Plus this is our biggest scoop yet!"

Dan looked relieved and sported a smile that matched. "Awesome, good to know that we're both on the same page," He finally let go of her arm, his smile morphing into an all-out ecstatic grin. "Let's go get our biggest story yet!"

The orchard worker whipped around and just in front of him, somehow escaping Katie's notice until that moment, was Dia and Kurt, standing side by side on the snow covered walkway. A small breeze picked up, sending small flurries of snow over them. The waitress' eyes widened.

"Now I remember! Maria said something about two lovers meeting there once! Apparently that's what the village's Starry Night Festival was named after," Dan looked back at her over his shoulder, quirking an eyebrow as if to ask if she 'really wanted to talk about this now?' She held up a hand in reply, showing that she needed to get this out. "That's why Theo's so upset. The story goes that two lovers eloped on a night where 'the stars lit up the sky from horizon to horizon, bathing the world in an ethereal glow,' having been forced together because their families wanted them apart. The Goddess blessed their union and hid them away from the world by offering the sky as a distraction.'

"They were the earliest guardians of the Goddess" Dia murmured, her voice carried to all by the wind. Dan mouthed 'guardians' to Kurt questioningly, perplexed at the random bit of information, but he only received a shrug in response. The mysterious black haired girl decided to answer his query. "I'm familiar with the legend, and it was about the first two guardians. They're protectors of the Goddess."

Katie rolled her eyes, an annoyed huff following suit. "Okay yeah, that's cool and all, but it's totally beside the point. Now we know why Theo's angry; why he keeps on bringing up eloping."

Three pairs of eyes focused on the ringletted brunette.

"He thinks Maria's reliving the legend."

###

The cool night air swirled around the couple as they slowly walked along the canopied path. The quiet of the winter night remained undisturbed, with even their quiet footfalls not making a dent in the blanket of silence that permeated the atmosphere. Maria and Ray didn't feel the need to speak, basking more in their destination and what it implied.

The silence was a reprieve after the last few days, the flurry of activity that surrounded them leaving no place for quiet and solitude. The two found it a little strange finally not having anything to do. Seeking notes and setting up for the biggest holiday of the year hadn't left much time for anything else.

Maria would have never suspected that she'd find herself here earlier on in the year. She'd just returned from her university studies at the time, having spent four years away from the sights and friends of her youth, and hadn't been prepared for the old crush resurfacing. Their relationship had eventually turned into just that: a relationship. Acquaintance-ship had turned into tentative friendship and then before the librarian could consider the consequences, it had become something more. It certainly had never been considered plausible when she used to pine for him within the confines of the library.

"It's weird, us going to Starry Hill like this," Ray let out. "I mean, I never would've imagined myself in this position a year ago, you know?"

The librarian couldn't help but smile at their similar vein of thought. "Indeed, neither could I Ray," the grove of trees was finally coming to an end, with the small stretch of path left starting on a soft incline. "I wouldn't have been able to wrap my mind around the possibility."

The fisherman nodded, scratching at the back of his head nervously as he did. "Yeah, relationships were something I didn't ever think about. I guess I just wasn't as concerned about it as the other guys."

Maria couldn't help but giggle at the comment; it was amazing how the two thought similarly sometimes. "It seems men and women aren't too different that way. The girls were always fixated on romance, or adamant about not caring when they did in Ann's case, and honestly, I just couldn't be bothered."

"More important things to do?"

"Yes," Maria slid her arm through his, shuffling herself into Ray's side in a way she hoped looked like she was trying to escape the cold. "Or at least, I felt that way."

They had nearly crested the hill at this point, the prominent observation deck within sight. "It's funny, we were the only two who thought there were more important things than love, yet now we're the only ones here."

The couple took a cursory glance of the deserted area. Despite the popular holiday, it seemed no one had decided to come to the traditional spot for the star viewing. A soft calm surrounded the deck, basking the spot in an ethereal atmosphere that seemed to protect it from the outside world. The two took a few hesitant steps into the space, afraid to disrupt the hallowed ambiance, before quickly striding toward the handrail.

The sky drew their attention next, a pair of eyes drifting heavenward to marvel at its wonders. Several bright stars twinkled back, only slightly bigger imprints on the galaxy of lights set before them.

"The planets seem to have come out to greet us," Maria smiled, her finger pointing to the bright red star closer to the horizon. "I didn't think they'd be as visible this time of year."

Ray didn't add further, only acknowledging the comment through a barely perceptible nod. Maybe the world didn't need to be analyzed right that second, maybe the cosmos didn't need to be made sense of, perhaps in this moment, one could just be.

Maria couldn't keep her smile from widening, eyes caught between staring at the man beside her and the awe-inspiring expanse above. Said man couldn't seem to tear away from the nature before him, caught up in the festival's main attraction as many a man had before him. The librarian wondered whether that was the origin of it all; not celebrating romantic ties, or in the participation of raucous festivities, but rather, in basking in the beauty of nature and sharing it with others.

"So, Mr. Ray, was this to be only a companionable visit or was there another reason for us coming here?" She spoke softly, teasingly, voice almost inaudible in the deafening silence.

Ray spluttered, taken aback by the question and the quasi-formal tone. "I, er, yeah," He turned toward her. "A - actually, I really wanted to talk to you about something."

The poor boy fidgeted, hands clasping and unclasping in the pockets of his coat. Maria wanted nothing more than to bridge the gap between them, attempt to reassure him somehow, but she knew it wasn't her place. She had a feeling he wouldn't be able to continue if she did. Instead, she motioned for him to go on.

Stilling, the fisherman took in a deep breath, preparing himself for the big reveal.

"I've been thinking about this for awhile Maria a-and," he coughed, his ragged breaths misting in the cold air. "I know it doesn't exactly work because of what kind of people we are and stuff, with everyone expecting things, but I really think we should give it a try."

The librarian couldn't help but be a little amused by Ray jumping the gun. "Give what a try?"

"_Us._"

Her breath hitched and a shudder passed through her, the word unexpected and somehow more powerful than she could have anticipated.

"Ray, I-"

He raised his hand, two fingers poking out in the frigid air, stilling the words that were on the tip of her tongue. He didn't need to vocalize that he needed her to listen; the gesture said enough. A bit more nervously, she again motioned for him to continue.

"We're - we're different, Maria," Her name brought a smile to his lips, the sound rolling off his tongue with a slight raspy edge. The rest of his fumbling seemed eclipsed by his uttering of it. "What we have isn't, it really_ isn't_, the same as those sappy romances you keep hidden in the library.

The librarian could do nothing but blush. She was a college graduate, and one with markedly high grades at that, she should be beyond childish fairytales.

Ray seemed to have found his stride, no longer worrying or fretting over his wording. The rest of his speech seemed to flow from him then, unrestrained, smooth and yet unrehearsed.

"I'm not perfect, like those fairy tale princes you love so much, and I'm not the brightest bulb either," the boy chuckled, tapping the side of his head jokingly. Maria shock her head vehemently, charmed, but not in agreement. "We're not the perfect match either, I can see that. I mean, you were the girl with the smarts in high school, being good enough to be the one of the few who actually went to college. Me, well, on the other hand," He motioned to all of himself, still making light of the situation. "I was the poor fisherman's son who followed in his father's footsteps, never giving a damn about learning until someone showed me that I needed to."

She did her best to calm her breathing, slowing it down from the fast pace of the conversation. Maria felt the anticipation bubbling within her, threatening to burst out without her consent, yet she tried to tape it down. She wouldn't allow herself to interrupt before he was finished (Ray had asked her not to after all), but the urge was especially strong.

"So yeah, as a couple, we wouldn't exactly be who most people would expect us to be with. Everyone would probably think Eve is more suited for me or somethin' like that," He chuckled bashfully, right hand scratching the back of his head once more. "But, you know, despite that, I think us not being the perfect match makes us perfect. It makes our connection _real_."

Ray stepped toward her, finally closing the gap between their forms. Softly, ever hesitant, he took her left hand within his right. Up until that point, his eyes had never really connected with Maria's, always darting around or staring just to the side of her eyes. Now, they were locked, unwaveringly, dark sapphire eyes meeting excited, uncertain, but warm brown.

"We aren't a fairytale. Heck, we're pretty much complete opposites, but, Maria, I've never been more sure about two things going together. I've never been as comfortable around a woman as I've been around you, I've never been as at ease around _anyone_ as I've been in the past few months we've been friends and I've never been as open-minded, as curious, as the time I've spent learning with you. Again, I'm not the kind of man who has the most skill with words, but thanks to you, I'm willing to try. What we have here," His right hand flicked between the two of them, "Isn't the kind of whirlwind relationship you'll find in myths and fairytales, but it's ten times more genuine than anything else I've ever experienced."

"I can't say we won't stumble, or that I won't get tongue-tied sometimes, or even that I'll always get what you're on about, but I'm willing to _try._ I want to be something with you. I just want to be with you."

"_I just want to be able to love you, freely, Maria._"

Her breath hitched, taken aback by the forward comment. Ray paused, hand still hesitantly linked with hers, as he hoped for a response. Brown orbs flickered between the navy blue before them, not hiding the fear and hope swirling within.

"We've been dancing around each other for so long," Maria caught her breath, only to expel it a moment later. "It always felt like we were already a couple, lovers without the physical intimacy." She smiled timidly, made shy at her own comment. "Yet, to make it official, to cement the fact that we cared for one another, it didn't seem possible. I couldn't ever truly picture us together."

The fisherman recoiled, hurt by the choice of words. Maria refused to let the sudden movement throw her, ploughing relentlessly through the rest of her response.

"It was likely largely responsible for why I pulled away those few weeks ago. I couldn't handle that kind of intimacy, at least, not right then." Ray's body was hunched in on itself, a defeated set to his shoulders and pained look to his eyes, downcast as they were. Now the girl couldn't have that. "As I said before, I needed some time to work through things. To look for answers and try to understand both them and myself. I was…confused, to put it lightly. All those feelings were so overwhelming."

Ray nodded slowly, attempting to convey that he was still listening despite not looking up.

"Once I pieced things together, figured everything out that I needed to, I came to accept this," she motioned between the two of them. "For what it was. As you said before, neither of us had ever really given much thought to romantic relationships, nor given thought to the emotions associated with them. We've certainly had crushes, especially if the rumors from school were anything to go off of," Maria joked, small smile in place. "But _love,_ that kind of love, wasn't something we knew. It never truly played a part in our world."

"So when I felt it that day on the mountain, when I knew that there was something more, I wanted to make sure. I _had_ to make sure. I couldn't let up my defenses without knowing just what I was up against."

"Sounds like a war," Ray said to her.

"In a way, things that involve the heart always are," Maria's fingers gripped Ray's a little tighter. "You wouldn't expect it from such a fragile thing, but nothing about it is ever simple."

"But you needed to figure things out, to make sure of 'things'…"

"Yes, to make sure that what I was feeling wasn't just the byproduct of a given circumstance. That it wasn't just some flight of fancy that would disappear as quickly as it came," The quiet of the look-out was nearly deafening. "I couldn't just jump into a serious relationship without knowing that it was something that would last. Even if dating isn't supposed to be like that…"

Ray beamed toothily. "So we're dating?"

Maria closed the remaining gap between them, face hovering ever closer toward his.

"I'd say that's accurate."

"So you're willing to give this," he motioned between himself and the librarian. "To give us, a try?"

"After careful consideration, I can't imagine doing anything else."

"And we're something you want to last?"

Maria giggled. "Yes Ray, is that so difficult to understand?" A small reddened nose brushed against its companion. "Is me being in love with you difficult to grasp as well?"

The boy continued to beam, suddenly closing his eyes as he went to bridge the small space between them.

"Maybe a little."

A loud noise screeched its way into their blissful snowy world.

"STOP THE ELOPING!"

"Theo, that doesn't even make any sense…"

"Daddy?" Maria muttered in surprise, turning away from Ray.

A black top hat crested the side of the hill, followed by the rest of the body of Flowerbud's mayor. Flustered and out of breath, Theodore rushed toward the pair at a fast pace, pushing through the snow as if it were barely there. By his side Michael jogged along, attempting to calm the other man to a slower walk. His panting misted clearly in the cold night air.

"Maria, step _away_ from that young man," Theodore growled. "I will not let you be dragged down with him. He'll do nothing but keep you from your dreams and destroy your reputation and I. Will. Not. Allow it!"

Maria quirked a brow. "Father, what are you talking about?"

Theodore's hands flailed between the two of them. "This relationship, that's what!" The mayor spun to pin a pointed glare on the fisherman. "This _boyo_ is trying to take advantage of your kind nature and corrupt you. He hasn't got a decent bone in his body, not a one!"

Maria and Ray were stunned; they hadn't thought Theodore's reaction would be like this. The librarian took an involuntary step closer, as if the smaller space would defend them both from the onslaught.

"Theo, I think that's enough," Michael laid a hand on his friend's shoulder, attempting to sooth the already red-in-the-face man. "Just let them be, you're embarrassing your daughter."

"I won't stand for this-this tomfoolery! She deserves so much more than he could ever offer her." Theodore thundered, his tone unequivocal in pitch. "She actually has a future! Goddess only knows her mind is more developed than his."

Ray tensed beside her, the words hitting a sore point within him. A sour expression curled his lips, but his hand never moved from within Maria's.

"He's a _fisherman _and she's a university student, what could possibly come from a union between them?" The mayor's eyes shot daggers in the direction of his daughter. "Maria, what were you thinking!? You know there's nothing here for you."

"I know I told you that there wasn't anything for me in Flowerbud before father, but given recent events-" Maria protested, hoping desperately, to fend off her father's negativity.

"Hogwash, I didn't mean the village and I know that you know that. It's this relationship that obviously holds no merit!"

"That-that isn't true. Aren't my feelings 'merit' enough?" The librarian replied,

"_HE. HAS. NO. FUTURE!_" Theodore roared.

A new blanket of silence covered the area, smothering those within the expanse with its weight. Ray stood stock still by Maria's side, his hand now slack within the girl's firm grip. No one moved. No one spoke. All was quiet.

"You shouldn't be with him Maria," Theodore dredged on, voice suddenly softer. "You are meant for something more, something better than this _provincial_ life. Something your mother would've wanted for you."

Michael winced at the implication. He could recognize a low blow when he saw one.

"And you," He swiveled toward the fisherman, eyes glaring and nostrils flared. "I'll have you expelled from the village for this! For years I've let you soil my town, letting it slide that you were living here without consent or property, but no longer! You can't live off this land without giving back to the people here, as you have been. I won't allow it. You'll find no welcome place here, not as long as I am mayor."

The fisherman was flabbergasted, clearly not expecting that the mayor would have brought _that_ up. He had been living here for years, everyone obviously knew him and the fact that he lived on the outskirts, they bought fish from him all the time, but nobody would be able to go against the mayor. The shorter man had the law at his side, and could very well expel or get him arrested by the county sheriff if he didn't tread lightly. Not a soul could defy him-

"Father, that is completely unfair and highly questionable behavior! If you're going to accuse and punish Ray for these supposed 'crimes' then you may as well crack down on the other third of the village that do the same!"

-except his daughter.

Theodore's top hat rose slightly as he inclined his head, clearly baffled by the opposition and filled with indignation. "Maria, how the other villagers go about their business has nothing to do with the situation at hand. The problem, as it stands right now, is this _fisherman's_ illegal activities in the village," He puffed out his chest proudly. "As mayor, I have the right to act here as I see fit."

The librarian squared her shoulders, as indignant as her father and almost nearly as mad. With a sharp tone, she responded: "And did you take the 'illegal actions' of Joe or Henry into account when you saw them fishing and painting by Flowerbud's streams? Did you fine Woody when he allowed his apprentices to cut down trees despite neither having licenses? These are similar offences."

"They clearly are not!"

"I'm not certain the other villagers would agree," she crossed an arm over her chest, the other resting snuggly within Ray's grasp. "Especially if this case were to be brought before the county court."

A ponytail whipped back in forth in the winter air as Ray looked between the librarian and her father. A worried look adorned his features, as well as a slightly sick one, as the voices of the two grew louder and the topic of legal action was thrown into the conversation. The situation was becoming too messy.

"Maria, darling, this business does not involve you, and even if it did, the testimony of village folk means nothing against the law," Theodore grit out.

"Not unless you have town records," Maria spoke, voice suddenly confident, as she peered intently at her father. "I have access and complete control over the town's records, as its resident librarian and keeper of legal documents. Or did you forget? So yes, I would have 'evidence' and I'd most definitely be able to use it to go against this 'law'."

The mayor was struck speechless, perturbed by the turn in the conversation. Ray held himself from hooting in triumph, as Michael tried to smoother a smile, at the more positive turn of events. Theodore had no case against Ray, at least, none that would be non-contested, so the fisherman was safe.

"Ray will not be forced to leave Father; he is as much as villager as I am and he deserves to be treated as such. Did you forget that he grew up here as well?" Her voice quieted, taking on a more beseeching tone. "Doesn't he deserve some respect? He's as good a man as any."

The mayor would not take this small step forward sitting down.

"W - well then, if you respect him so much, did you tell him that you were planning to go back in the new year!?" The mayor shot back and fear suddenly flashed through the librarian's eyes. The mayor turned to Ray. "Didn't she say that her time here was provisional? Oh sorry, you may find that a bit too difficult, _temporary_?"

The fisherman did nothing but gape at him, shock over-running his features. He hadn't even taken offense at the jab he was so taken-aback. Maria wasn't even sure if he was breathing.

"Did she talk to you about it _at all?_" Theodore spat gruffly, looking more than a little annoyed. "She was supposed to leave!"

Ray could only redirect his gaze to the women beside him, not sure what to think, what to believe. Maria turned away, hiding herself from his prying eyes. Her reaction was all the response he needed.

"You never told me."

"I - I still wasn't sure what I wanted to do. There were so many factors to consider…" Head bent, the librarian fidgeted. "I didn't feel that it was necessary at the time."

"You were planning on _leaving_. You couldn't even tell me about that as a friend?" His voice rang out, cold but with hurt peppered throughout. "As someone who you 'helped', I'd think you'd tell me about things like that."

"I - I didn't know exactly when I was leaving, so how could we even discuss it?| She stuttered, looking up but refusing to meet his eyes. "Not to mention the situation has changed since …"

"You were planning on going back to university," Ray said flatly, removing his hand from hers. "Sooner or later, you'd still be leaving. You'd still be leaving without me knowing."

The girl couldn't help but plead with him, as her father and his entourage looked on. "It really isn't like that Ray. Please try to understand, things were so very different when I first came back. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, I - I didn't have a plan," She gulped, fear throwing her normally calm composure. "I hadn't gotten to know you yet."

Michael wrung his hands some meters away, on edge about the conclusion to this confrontation. The poor man had never been very good with these kinds of situations and the whole conversation made him feel very much like an eavesdropper. The discussion was a private one; he'd only been supposed to stop Theo and nothing more. The mayor seemed to be sporting his own satisfied smile now, pleased that the fisherman was doing enough damage to the relationship for the both of them.

"_Will he never learn?"_ Michael thought to himself. _"I remember Theresa complaining about this, but I never thought it was this bad. Maybe there should be an 'overprotective father of the year' award for him."_

"So why didn't you tell me after you did?" Ray replied softly, blue eyes lifting to meet chocolate brown.

"Because I, I wasn't sure what I wanted. I'd mentioned it to my father when I came back, but-but now I'm not sure what I want," Her voice ended weakly, as tears appeared in the corners of her eyes. The cold of the night felt ubiquitous suddenly, settling into the skin and bones of the clearing's occupants. The wind made the night seem almost as if it were speaking, as it wisped and tangled into the clothing and hair of those in the clearing.

Several other heads began to pop up over the curve of the hill.

"I think it's clear what you _didn't_ want," The comment left Maria blustering.

"You can't say that, not after all that we've been through," She whispered, not even sparing a glance for her father. "You must've known that I wouldn't still be **here** if I wasn't interested, if I didn't care."

Two bandana covered heads were steadily gaining ground on the frozen hill. A distance behind them, two well-dressed figures struggled to maneuver through the pilling snow.

"Ray, we were just discussing what we were to each other just a minute ago. Don't let this get in the way of that."

"Maria, you were planning on running away together. I think everyone knows just what you mean to one another," Theodore murmured angrily, receiving only an extremely perplexed look from his daughter.

The fisherman hesitated, confliction evident through his body language. The two youngsters ignored the older men just across from them, both of whom waited apprehensively for the rest of the conversation.

A figure in a red bandana finally reached the clearing. With a strong voice, it called out: "CONTINUE THE ELOPING!"

Another figure in a camouflage bandana came to rest beside the first. "I'm pretty sure they weren't eloping Dan, even if Theodore decided to yell it so that people in the next town over could hear."

"You can't be so pessimistic when it comes to love!" Dan lowered his pointing arm and looked aside bashfully. "Plus that was an awesome dramatic entrance. Nothing else I could've said would have topped that."

Ray snapped toward Dan and Kurt, eyes widening as his friends intruded into the important scene. Maria's attention drifted to the two girls who followed behind them, who were clearing the snow from the hems of their dresses. Theodore looked as if he were seeing red.

"None of this pertains to any of you. Maria and Ray may speak with you later."

Michael quickly followed up with a "you should all be enjoying the Starry Night, it is still a festival after all," as he smiled warmly at the group, hoping to smooth over Theo's comment. He was promptly ignored.

Kurt shook his head, another again casting aside the elders' words. "Ray, don't let Theodore get to you, just listen to her."

"Once, I drew cards for you," Dia huffed, slightly out of breath from the climb, Katie by her side. "That day, they told that there was a trial meant for you both, an obstacle that you were to overcome. Consider this that challenge."

The mayor drew in a sharp breath, filled with annoyance at the actions of the youngsters who'd interrupted. Ray spaced out for a moment, before nodding to himself, having reached some kind of decision. He opened his mouth several times before finally speaking, his voice hoarse.

"I told that I cared about you Maria," He rushed out. "I probably shouldn't take it back right after I just said it, yeah?"

A pleased smile crossed the librarian's lips. She gave him a quick nod, a teasing expression across her face.

"You probably shouldn't, it would be a weakness in character otherwise."

Ray couldn't help but grin in response. "So would you explain what exactly this university thing is about?"

"I think you understand that well enough, though other things do need explaining."

"No they do not! Maria, I still do not allow this. I cannot accept this!" said an enraged Theodore, putting himself between the two of them. "This foolishness has got to stop."

His daughter's eyes narrowed in response, a rebellious glint to her eye. "Foolish? Why?"

"I've said enough for you understand why by now!"

"Just because Ray doesn't adhere to your standards _father_ does not mean that this relationship is foolish," Theodore was stunned for a moment, not expecting his daughter to respond so harshly. She'd never questioned him when he disapproved of her actions before. "Regardless, my relationships are not your concern."

The mayor struggled to find composure, unsure of how to respond to his daughter. Rebelling had never been a problem when it came to her, even if they had been on rocky ground after her mother had died. Michael watched his friend's reactions intently, looking caught between wanting to intervene and wanting to remove himself from the tense situation.

Maria stood up before her father, head held high and hands fisted. "I'm sick of this back and forth that's been going on. This is my choice," Her hurried breaths huffed into the night. "I love him daddy, and whatever I decide to do from this point onward is out of your hands. Mother would've wanted me to make my own decisions, not go along with what you think is best for me."

"Sing it sister!" squealed Katie, first-pumping to emphasize her point, only to be supported by Dan doing the same thing a minute later. Dia swiftly grabbed both of their collars, pulling them even further from the scene. Harsh hushed tones that sounded suspiciously like "_don't ruin the moment_" passed from her lips and shut the other two up.

"Honey, you can't possibly love him enough to through away your future," Theodore responded, his voice hesitant.

"Does it always have to be about the future? Being with Ray isn't going to change what I want to do with my life."

"But - but, you're giving up the chance to go back to university-"

"I've found my place here," she motioned vaguely toward the village. "I already have a degree and I've been working at the library for so long now that-that it would be strange going back."

Theodore's hands balled into fists. "He still isn't worth your time-"

"Then who is? I don't know if you'd consider any of the boys in the village appropriate," she remarked lightly.

"Do not make this about my standards when the issue rests with that…_ragamuffin_."

"You're right, this isn't about your standards, this isn't about you at all," She placed a hand above her heart. "This is about my choices and what makes _me_ happy."

"I've found something here, not only in this relationship, but in what I've been doing in the library and outside it. I've found my purpose, my calling if you will, that makes me want to stay. University and life in a larger town were great, but I felt so…lost within them. I learned yes, but I don't think there was anything else there that I actually enjoyed."

Maria calmed for a moment, shoulders relaxed and hands folded in front of her. She didn't want to her father to question her current speech in any way, so she had to show a strong front. She couldn't allow for any weaknesses.

No one dared filled the brief pause.

"I've come to realize that learning, and experiencing life through my own choices, makes me happy. That…actually sounds a little silly," Maria smiles, nearly giggling at the obvious remark. "But it's the truth. In the past year, I've found that I'm happiest while teaching and when learning. Reading books and discovering things about the world, even if it happens to be in the confines of the village, is what makes me happy, and passing on that acquired knowledge only adds to it. I've been so…fulfilled…helping Ray and the others with their work over the past few months." A small smile crossed her features, reflected within her brown eyes. "I don't think I was ever this happy while at university, and to be honest, I don't think I ever could have been. I haven't really been this happy since mother died."

Father and daughter faced off, the earlier quieted into submission by the declaration. It was true that the world had continued on after Theresa's death, and the two had had to move on with it, but Theodore could not deny that they hadn't been the same as before. He had just never realized to what extent it had affected his daughter.

"Daddy, I think I know where I belong now," Maria murmured. "And that place is here. You and mom wanted more for me, I know that, but I need to do something that I find rewarding. That I actually find myself looking forward to. Working in the library, finding new books, using my knowledge to improve the lives of others: that is my calling."

Some of Theodore's skepticism seemed to ebb from his features, along with a little of his previous resolve.

"Ray has helped me look at myself in a whole other way. He's taught me so much."

Theodore's stiff posture had disappeared, the walls that surrounded his opinion being broken down piece by piece.

"And he's made me so happy. Loving him was something I never expected but that I would never take back."

Then it crumbled, with tears filling the mayor's eyes as he looked in awe at the couple before him. His daughter had grown without him realizing, making decisions and falling in love like any adult would. Over the past few years her father had tried to deny the passage of time and maintain that he knew what was best for her. Though she had come to him less and less, he reveled in giving her advice when she asked, as if she were still the confused teenager girl who had issues with friends.

"So that's how it is." The words put Maria and Ray on the defensive, their hands hard by their sides, only to have their worries erased a moment later. "I can see now how much you've grown. How blind I've been all this time to who you are." He wiped away a lone tear, before smoothing his red jacket to calm himself. "You've become the woman who your mother and I always wanted you to be. Independent and strong, determined to fight for what she believes in. I'd forgotten how much I'd wanted that for you.

You've spread your wings – no, flown – and I couldn't be more proud. You've grown up."

"Took you long enough to understand _that,_" called a voice sarcastically. "You've always been a little thick."

Another figure reached the crest of the hill, his graying brown hair mixing with the rest of his drab winter attire. His weathered and torn scarf fluttered behind him as he pushed toward the group, an over-the-top grin splitting his features. As he came to rest beside the starry-eyed mayor, the large man clapped a thick hand onto Theodore's shoulder.

"David," Michael started, more than a little shocked by the sudden appearance. "You're back - I thought - you'd said last time-."

"That I wouldn't come back, yeah, but I've been hearing things," The addressed man pointed briskly at the different youngsters in the clearing. "That it seems these young'uns have gotten themselves involved in." His grip on Theodore's shoulder tightened, along with the set of his jaw. "So Theo, what's this I hear about the Goddess being turned to stone and no one doing a thing about it?"

Maria motioned to Ray hesitantly, tilting her head toward David while quirking a delicate blue brow. Her expression gave off her curiosity about the similarity in their appearance and the boy beside her gave a sheepish nod in reply, confirming her suspicions. Maria's memories of David were hazy, but he looked similar enough to his son that she wasn't left floundering for answers.

Michael went to grab his past friend's arm, drawing him back from the intimate space the mayor and the two young adults had created during their talk. Much like Dia before him, Michael tried to quiet David with 'softer' tones, attempting to extract him from the scene, yet the older man wrestled himself back to its center.

"I'm sure this is important," He nodded to Ray, acknowledging the presence of his only child. "And I'm sorry to steal your spotlight son, but I need to talk about this."

Theodore leveled a glare at the other man, irritated with the interruption and the unwanted topic.

"There is nothing to say on the matter."

"Actually, there's plenty to say," David's expression mirrored the mayor's, tone biting.

"Maybe we should start with the fact that you've been here for nearly a season without anyone's knowledge?"

The shocked gasp from Ray made David scratch the back of his neck, abashed. He mumbled "That isn't entirely true, Jamie knew," meekly in his defense, not daring to glance up at his son.

"Regardless, for someone who used to live in this village, you should at least have the decency to tell others of your return."

"It was complicated."

"I'm sure," Theodore replied in a clipped manner.

Anger quickly replaced shame. "I heard about what happened – and how you'd done nothing to change it – and I knew that I needed to come back. Some things are more important than chit chat."

Maria decided to clear her throat then, breaking through the tension that had relocated itself between the two men.

"Sir, I take it your 'business' had to do with your earlier comment?"

David nodded, choosing to ignore the subsequent huff that the man beside him let off. "Yes child, I came to deal with the Goddess problem that the _rest of this village_," He looked pointedly at Theodore. "Has chosen to ignore."

Maria's eyebrows furrowed, bothered by the implication and unsure about how exactly the man knew about that.

"I didn't think that what happened to the Goddess was common knowledge," she shared a look with Ray, both flashing back to the day they discovered the petrified Goddess so long ago. "How did you learn of it?"

"That's a little bit difficult to explain, but let's just say I have a _special_ connection to my religion."

"Dad, stop speaking in riddles for once."

"Alright, alright," David shrugged in defeat, before properly facing the couple before him. "I was a friend of Jamie's parents who were…hm…we'll say the 'guardians' of the Goddess during my time in Flowerbud. They told me about a few things; made me a bit more aware of the goings-on of the world and the Goddess' effect upon it. It was interesting stuff."

No one looked terribly impressed by the breadth of the explanation. Maria put her remaining memories of the man, of his religious devotion and philosophical leanings, together with this new information and the pieces seemed to fall into place.

"So…there's nothing more than that? You're saying you 'saw' that something was wrong by looking at nature?"

"Don't sound so skeptical son, it's possible if you look hard enough," David said, voice filled with conviction.

"Yeah…of course," Ray's voice betrayed his doubt.

"So, uh, you know about the magical melody too?" Kurt's voice carried across the deck, hesitant but clear.

David stuffed his hands under his arms, shuffling around to grin at the younger man. "Sure do," He shrugged his shoulders. "Probably more than you."

"Impossible," Maria intervened, finally detaching from Ray's side. "We read the legend as well as the adjoined accounts; I've done countless hours of research to back up the findings." The librarian nodded toward Kurt. "There's nothing we don't know."

"Is that so?" The grin had taken a far more condescending turn. Ray didn't like it. "If you knew what I'd been up to these last few weeks, I think you'd rethink that lass."

"What do you mean?"

"Jamie knows how to activate the Magical Melody; what specifically is needed to recreate it. For the past few weeks, I've been helpin' him accomplish just that."

Theodore decided to reinsert himself just then. "This is nonsense; everyone knows the Magical Melody doesn't exist."

"Wanna explain how the Goddess is supposed to turn back from stone then?"

"As the Goddess wills, so shall it be."

Nearly everyone cringed at the overused line, more than used to the placation.

"Don't fed me that priestly bull, the Goddess can't 'will' anything if she's a piece of brick," David scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Sometimes even gods need saving."

"Preposterous!"

"David, watch what you're saying!" Cried a flustered Michael, whose eyes were darting around the clearing to ensure that no demon would manifest and kill them for the comment.

"He isn't wrong."

David peered over his shoulder to look at the blue haired girl, with the rest of the adults following suit.

"The magical melody does exist, I've seen it."

"Maria! You shouldn't lie about these things."

Maria gave her father a small smile. "Weren't you saying that you were proud of my independence a moment ago? Give me a minute then," Seeing her father settle down she decided to continue. "A few weeks ago I managed to find the physical representation of the magical melody in the village, after having spent days reading up on the object. For the past few days Ray, Kurt, Dia and I have been trying to collect notes to restore it."

David's following chuckle was not missed. "You don't say…"

"Fate led Maria to the stone and us to this quest," drawled Dia. "But I feel that fate brought you to the same point, Sir David."

"You'd be right there," the subsequent silence was enormous, swallowing the group whole. "I came here because I knew what was going on and how to fix it."

"Dad, you know to get the notes? But…how?"

"Weren't you listening boyo, he was friends with Jamie's parents, that's how!"

"Not exactly," amidst the tense atmosphere, he reached into the side of his jacket. "Did you forget that I was religious, son? Well, I had an interesting encounter sometime before coming to Flowerbud that made me that way." When he removed his hand a cigarette pack followed, earning him a disgusted look from the girls on the hilltop. "Some years ago, I met a little witch."

Dan and Katie huddled closer together, the supernatural talk more than a little much for them. The two were out of their gossiping element, and whilst the rest of the people on the hilltop stood at attention, keen on the conversation, the two watched on in a hushed silence. Katie took a moment to stare wide-eyed at the scene in front of her before looking, panicked, at her male companion. He held the same look of unease.

He carefully pulled out a small cigarette from the pack. "She told me that she'd once accidentally sent the goddess into another dimension, and that the solution had been to find fifty sprites that would 'somehow' restore her." He lit the stick, putting it to his lips. "She told me that she'd figured out that the sprites represented the fifty notes of the melody, somehow made tangible. Being an occultist, she drew connections between the legend and what was going on at the time."

Maria thought back to what she had read about the melody, feeling as if the story were somehow familiar. Uncertain and questionable of the source, she spoke. "Why did you believe her?"

He took a long drag. "Because I recognized her from one of my religion classes, and it wasn't because she was one of my classmates."

Dia seemed visibly shaken and Kurt couldn't help but take a step toward her, distracted by his worry. The girl grabbed his arm to steady herself, slipping the other down to her deck. She pulled out a single card before walking the few feet over to David, leaving him speechless as she shoved the piece of thick paper in his face.

"Is this her?" The _High Priestess_ card bore David's scrutiny for a moment or two before he gave a curt nod. "I thought so…"

"Where'd you get the card lass?"

"Its part of my 'religious and mythical figures' deck; I use it on more serious occasions," She took a moment to examine the picture herself, as red eyes and blond hair stared back up at her. "They decided to use the Harvest Witch for the high priestess card because her spiritual abilities, as well as her mysticism. The information packet said that she's been alive for centuries, having been created by the Goddess in the image of humans."

"You're half-right. Funny, everyone in this clearing always is," David nodded to Dia in acknowledgement before tilting his head skyward, leaving his cigarette hanging between his fingers. "She was created by the Goddess to help her, it's why she has magic to begin with, but something went wrong in the process. The witch broke away from the Goddess because she couldn't bear to be forced to help things she didn't care for. But she was alive and powerful, her fate eternally bound to that of the Goddess, and so wherever her master went, she followed. I was lucky enough to meet her when she first moved to Flowerbud."

Ray just felt confused. "But wait – if the Goddess created her, then how come she didn't know about the melody? I'd think she'd at least be told that…"

Maria tapped Ray's arm lightly, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Likely the witch doesn't even understand the true nature of the melody; she knows of its existence, but not of its form. It's curious, but the only explanation for her deduction."

Ray scratched the back of his neck, his forehead scrunched in concentration. "I guess…"

"Anyway," David flicked his hand restlessly. "After that, I had to make sure what I saw was what I saw, so I searched a little. I found out about the incident she mentioned and a few other things. And…well…" His hand made a sweep of his entire body. "That's why I am the way and I am, and why I'm here now."

"Care to elaborate on the 'few other things?"

"Let's just say I found out about the magical melody and then some," David placed a hand on Maria's shoulder, offering an indulgent smile. "It's probably the same stuff you found honestly, if what Jamie's been telling me about you is anything to go by."

"Then how'd you know there was a problem here?" Ray replied, feeling uneasy.

"There are a few natural signs when this sorta thing happens. Famines, earthquakes, that kinda thing."

"So the notes that were already found," Maria tapped her fingers against her chin. "That was yours and Jamie's doing?"

"Some of it, yeah, the rest were probably from other people in the village," He took a step back from her, an oddly proud expression on his face. "But you knew that already most likely."

Maria gave a quick nod of her head, while Ray's eyes glazed over as he processed. David finished off the last of his cigarette quickly, the tension in the area clearing as most everyone's questions were answered.

Except there was one question that had yet to be answered.

"So…the people of Flowerbud are responsible for the resurrection of the Goddess?" Asked Theodore softly, his mind apparently reeling from the events of the evening and this revelation serving as the icing on the cake.

"You got that right," David pointed to his head while suddenly grinning toothily at the younger people in the clearing, butting his cigarette out. "What did I tell you? Thick!"

"Then - then we have to act right away! Call a town meeting if we must! Michael!" Theodore was on full-alert, his need to attend to the situation and his responsibility to Flowerbud as its mayor showing through his panicked, authoritative speech. "Call the other villagers and don't mind if you disturb their evenings. There's to be an emergency town meeting first thing tomorrow morning!"

"Theo, shouldn't we take a second and think about this-"

"Maria," Theodore turned to his daughter, tone sharp, making her only stiffen in response. "I'll be coming to you for more information later; I have a feeling we'll need your university expertise to talk to the townsfolk." His brown irises seemed alight with new found enthusiasm, a far cry from the anger of a little while before. They softened slightly at his daughter's apprehension. "You can even get Ray to help you sweetheart; I promise I won't interfere with that anymore." Like a cat surrounded by butterflies, Theodore jumped at his next item of business. "Michael, there is planning to be done and not a moment to waste!"

Michael wasn't even given time to reply as Theodore bustled away from Starry Hill, having seemingly forgotten about everyone else's present. As the top of his black hat disappeared, alongside the sight of blue hair being caught by the wind as it hurried to catch up, Maria and Ray let out a joint sigh of relief. Their hands slowly glided back towards each other, comfortably settling between the two and anchoring them together.

"Does that mean we won?" Dan asked hesitantly, looking around in a daze. Kurt raised an eyebrow in his direction, calmly calling back: "This wasn't a contest Dan."

David let out a shout of a laugh, more than a little amused by the circumstances. "Young people and their priorities," he mumbled cheerily.

As Katie and Dan loudly celebrated, Dia walked up to the three. "So you managed to overcome the two cards, just as I'd hoped," she picked two cards out of her deck, facing them up to be visible to the two. "Adversity and separation avoided. I'm glad."

Maria studied the cards for a moment, thinking over the other girl's words. She wanted to ask more questions, the tower and justice card gleamed in the reflective light of the moon and taunted her, but she held her tongue. Dia's explanation would suffice for now; the important thing was that they had overcome the trials set before them. Ray stood by her side, his hand still in hers, and all in all, that is what mattered most.

"Thanks Dia," Ray responded. "I'm not entirely sure what the cards stand for, but thanks anyway, for believing in us I mean."

Ray had managed to say exactly what needed to be said. "_He got it exactly right_," Maria thought, as she nodded along with the sentiment. Dia nodded in kind, clearly getting the meaning loud and clear, as she twirled the cards in her hand lightly. Very quickly, she sheathed the two and swiftly removed a third, placing it gingerly within Ray's other hand.

"As the great Yugi once said: It's your move," She offered a final smile, a twinkle in her eye. "Now don't waste it."

Then with a little twirl, Dia hurried away from them, the wind pushing her toward the other group of people in the clearing.

As Kurt went to Dia's side, the three left behind looked at the card in Ray's un-held hand. Maria beamed at the sight, taking a moment to cuddle into Ray as David let out another great bellow. Ray chuckled a little to himself, a small blush gracing his cheeks. Beneath their joint gazes the Harvest God and Goddess looked at each other, smiles painted onto their features and at the bottom of the card, six letters spelled: _Lovers_.

"Wait until the rest of the girls hear about this! ~" Katie squealed, still latched onto Dan's arm as they jumped up and down. Dan's grin spanned from ear to ear, as he chirped back about the guys missing out on the show of the year. The gossips continued to buzz about themselves as they were subtly led by Dia and Kurt down the hill, the latter of which turned back, mouthed a quick 'good night' and waved. Maria and Ray gave a small wave back, watching as the boy's outstretched arm came to circle Dia as he turned frontward again.

The switching wind brought Kurt's question about the rest of the evening to them; along with Dia's cryptic response about 'milking the cosmos,' which made them chuckle. A confused shout from Kurt and the twang of a metallic, card shaped object hitting a tree put a stop to that however.

A final spoken "Will you reconsider my proposition?" from Dan and a timid, but pleased, "Maybe" from Katie and the group was gone.

The commotion passed, silence now returned to the clearing, and so a newfound calm began to emerge between the three remaining adults. David let loose another chuckle, the sound awkward in the still expanse of Starry Hill.

"So dad, you only came to help the new guardian with the Goddess?" Maria tightened her grip on his hand, worried at his hurt tone but also pleased that he'd caught on to Jamie.

"I saw how nature was dying son, I couldn't just do nothing," The elder fisherman scratched the back of his neck, a grimace tugging at his cheeks. "I'm sorry I didn't come see you, or your little girly here, but I had to help Jamie. He's still so green around the ears; he couldn't handle it by himself."

Ray heaved a sigh, scuffing his shoe against the snow. He looked deep in thought for a moment before shaking his head quickly and offered a tentative smile to his father.

"I guess we'll have more time to talk later right? With everything that's happened tonight, I'm just a little on edge, so I don't think more talking is such a good idea," His eyes closed as he grinned. "I feel like I've been on a rollercoaster since I came up here and I _really_ just want to enjoy the night now."

David patted Ray's shoulder in understanding and took a step back. His shaggy hair stirred in the wind as he bowed slightly to Maria, his low ponytail just visible over the top of his head. The librarian smiled at the old village custom, however dated it was.

"Noon tomorrow at the inn?" David asked, an eyebrow raised.

"For Gwen's famous lunch special? Definitely." Ray nodded at his father, punching his arm.

David bellowed once more, turning toward the clearing's exit. "If it's any like her mother's, than absolutely! I'd be disappointed if she didn't live up to her mum's inn cooking. "

Within moments he had left the hilltop behind, letting Ray tug Maria's hand to get her attention. He guided her back to the railing, letting go of her hand to lean his elbows against it. It was suddenly as if her father had never interrupted and the subsequent conversations had never taken place. Suddenly, it was if they were back at the start of the night. As if their date were starting over.

"People in the past learned a lot from the movement and location of the stars," The fisherman looked up at them, eyes once again filled with wonder. "It's amazing that they were able to track all these tiny lights."

"Now who taught you that?" Maria asked, her smile visible in her voice as she joined him. She stood by his side, her hands resting lightly on the rail, folded over one another.

"One of the history professors in high school."

"And you remembered?"

He looked at her, his eyes soft. "Yeah, it was interesting." A little smirk crossed his lips. "And he said that it was a piece of trivia that would help guys get pretty girls. I guess he was right."

The librarian shook her head, acting less than amused though her eyes also softened. She cuddled into his side, turning to him so her face was once again mere inches from his own.

"I suppose so, though I guess the evidence is questionable at best."

Ray looked at her curiously, his head tilted to the side. "Now why's that?"

"Normally 'getting' pretty girls means…oh what's the expression," She closed her eyes in thought. "'Getting to third base' with them, or something of that ilk. There's no emotion involved, it's all about hooking them and drawing them in."

"Couldn't it be like how a prince gets a princess?"

"I think that's more him rescuing her, if fairytales are anything to go by."

Ray waved his hand over the valley. "Technicalities."

"Now, as I was saying," Maria opened her eyes, her hand going to grab his again. "You can't exactly get the girl when she already loves you. Isn't that right?"

The fisherman hummed in thought. "I don't know, aren't there princes that have to go off to save the women they love?"

Maria nodded slightly in response, thinking that maybe it was time for another lesson. "There are plenty, but weren't you saying that we weren't like a fairytale before?"

"I've started to rethink the idea."

"Alright then, as you like," Maria looked at him adoringly. "Though I've never considered myself like those princesses. I've always felt like Thumbelina, trying to find the perfect fit."

"Well, I guess if you're Thumbelina then maybe I am her prince. Even if I'm not the typical kind," Ray leaned a little closer, his voice hushed. "I'm the type who needs random history to get her."

Maria giggled, "Alright then my unconventional prince of faeries," She whispered, brushing their noses together. "This Thumbelina has chosen you then. Her attractive opposite."

Maria closed the small distance between them, connecting her lips softly to Ray's. They both closed their eyes as he kissed back, their grip on each other's hands loosening to let their fingers entwine. As Ray deepened the kiss, pressing his lips tightly to hers, a small ball of light appeared above them, glowing softly under the light of the stars.

In a much smaller clearing, another circle etched itself onto a stone tablet, contrasting sharply with the faded notes on either side of it.

And somewhere else in the night, a mysterious melody played, a god listened and a stone began to crack.

_Life never comes without tribulations_

_A wish is something not always granted_

_People may not have the best relations_

_Yet, love and life keep humans enchanted_

_As my heart finds happiness, warmth and joy_

_I remember how this journey began_

_As opposites attracted and time spun_

_My life changed for better and forever_

_As the world played its hand and laid its plan_

_So now I can say that I know of only one_

_A quest, a melody, a learning girl_

_My love, a fairy tale, her affection_

_A story that has only started to be written_

_Prologue now at a close, lovers happy_

_**The End**_


End file.
